Published : 05 Sep 2026, 01:32 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:47 AM
The Indonesian Navy has arrested 16 people, including eight Bangladeshis, on charges of illegally entering the country.
They were arrested on Monday in the western district of Dumai, according to a report by Indonesian media outlet The Jakarta Post.
Quoting naval officer Agung N Kusumaji, the report said the group was caught while entering Indonesia’s Riau province from Malaysia. The eight other people arrested were Indonesian nationals.
They were allegedly attempting to enter Indonesia illegally aboard a twin-engine speedboat. They were detained while arriving at Purnama Beach.
Col Kusumaji, head of the Dumai Naval Base, said they received intelligence about the attempted illegal entry on Sunday evening.
“After receiving the information, naval personnel were instructed to conduct surveillance across the waters and coastline of Purnama,” he said.
The operation was led by Wahyu Wididi Widayat, head of the naval base’s intelligence unit. The operation was divided into three teams.
The naval base’s Quick Response Team, the regional naval command’s maritime intelligence unit, and the Fleet Command’s (Koarmada) “IER” Intelmar Operations Task Force also took part in the operation.
