Foreign Ship Carrying 150 Tons of Subsidized Fuel and Enslaving 55 Indonesian Citizens
A local-foreign syndicate smuggled 150 tons of subsidized diesel and 55 crew members to a foreign ship to steal fish in Arafura, Maluku.
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The Indonesian fish transport ship KM MUS was arrested by supervisory officers from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, early April 14. The fish transport ship was involved in multidimensional crimes, namely transshipment of fish from foreign ships, smuggling fuel and human trafficking.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Sunday (14/4/2024), arrested a fish transport ship from Indonesia which was transferring cargo to two foreign fishing vessels (KIA) in the Arafura Sea , Maluku. This case also reveals indications of multidimensional crimes, namely fishing theft by foreign vessels, smuggling subsidized fuel oil, and human trafficking.
From the results of the KKP inspection, the Indonesian fishing vessel KM Mitra Utama Semesta (MUS) with a displacement of 289 gross tonnes (GT) was indicated to have received 100 tonnes of transshipped fish from two illegal foreign vessels, namely Run Zeng (RZ) 03 and RZ 05. A total of 100 tonnes of fish is thought to be the result of fish theft in Indonesian waters over five days, with types of fish including layur, red snapper and white snapper.
On the ship, stored in the fish holds, diesel fuel was found. According to an examination of the ship's manual book records in the helm room, it was noted that 870 drums or 150 tons of diesel fuel were transported in the holds.
The KM MUS is also suspected of playing a role in supplying subsidized diesel fuel to the two foreign ships in the middle of the sea. The fuel was found stored in fish holds on the ships. Based on the examination of the ship's manual book records in the cockpit, it was recorded that 870 drums or 150 tons of diesel fuel were carried in the hold, some of which had already been supplied to the two foreign ships and several partner ships, leaving 9 tons in the hold of the KM MUS.
"The captain did not admit his actions. However, our officers checked several cellphones from the crew and found photos and videos of the transshipment results between KM MUS and foreign fishing vessels. "From the video, the captain of KM MUS finally admitted his actions, having received a cargo of 100 tons of fish from the foreign ship," said Acting Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision (PSDKP) KKP Pung Nugroho Saksono, in a written statement.
The Indonesian fishing vessel KM Mitra Utama Semesta has become evidence that was secured at the Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance Base (PSDKP) of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Tual, Maluku, on Wednesday (17/4/2024). The 289 gross ton (GT) vessel was caught supplying 150 tons of subsidized diesel and 55 Indonesian crew members to two illegal foreign vessels, Run Zeng (RZ) 03 and RZ 05. These foreign vessels were stealing fish in Indonesian waters.
Incredible crime
In a press statement in Tual, Maluku, on Wednesday (17/4/2024), Pung, who led the operation to capture the illegal fishing vessel, explained that this case indicates there are Indonesian fishing vessels assisting foreign vessels in committing fisheries crimes, smuggling fuel, and even slavery.
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is still pursuing the illegal foreign fishing vessel. "This criminal syndicate involves masterminds within the country who act as intermediaries for illegal foreign vessels. We have identified the mastermind's name for investigation. Our target is to capture the mastermind of the domestic vessel and the criminals involved in the illegal foreign vessel," said Pung when contacted from Jakarta.
Our target is to catch the masterminds of domestic ship perpetrators and illegal foreign ship criminals.
Pung added that there were three indications of multidimensional crimes revealed in the case. First, KM MUS is suspected of supplying subsidized fuel to foreign ships. Second, KM MUS received fish from illegal foreign vessels. Third, there are indications of human trafficking and slavery.
The main deck of KM Mitra Utama Semesta contained subsidized diesel. The ship, weighing 289 gross tons (GT), was caught supplying 150 tons of subsidized diesel and 55 Indonesian crew members to two illegal foreign vessels, Run Zeng (RZ) 03 and RZ 05.
Jump into the sea
Sanusi Muhammad, one of the crew members on the foreign ship, stated that he was recruited through an agency in Pati, Central Java. The staffing agency promised a salary of Rp 2 million and holiday bonuses of Rp 2 million after arriving on the ship. However, the promise was not fulfilled after he arrived on the ship. The crew member received inappropriate treatment instead.
The lack of job certainty and unfair treatment has caused 31 crew members who were recently transferred to the RZ 03 and RZ 05 ships to refuse to continue working. However, striking crew members are not given food and drink. They are forced to work in order to obtain food. "It's sad that the food provided is only one tray shared among 31 crew members," said Sanusi.
Sanusi then decided to escape by throwing himself into the sea with five of his colleagues on April 11 2024. The five crew members managed to survive and were rescued by the purse seine ship. Meanwhile, one crew member was found dead.
Five crew members managed to survive and were rescued by the purse seine ship. Meanwhile, one crew member was found dead.
The chairman of the Central Java Regional Council of the All Indonesia Fishermen Association (HNSI), Riswanto, appreciates the success of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in uncovering the extraordinary crime case. The crime is also a form of massive exploitation of Indonesia's resources, including fish resources, human resources, and fuel.
He regrets the mafia group that is considered to have taken Indonesian fuel to be sold to foreign ships that steal fish. The illegal business is considered very harmful to small fishermen who often have difficulty getting subsidized fuel. He is committed to monitoring so that the case can be thoroughly uncovered.
"Do not let only Indonesian ships get caught while foreign ships disappear without a trace. It's hoped that the authorities will pursue all perpetrators of these fisheries crimes as they cause great losses for Indonesian fishermen," said Riswanto.
Stolen fish serve as evidence from the arrest of the fishing vessel KM Mitra Utama Semesta, which was detained in the Pangkalan Pengawasan Sumber Daya Kelautan dan Perikanan (PSDKP) of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Tual, Maluku, on Wednesday (17/4/2024).
It is the Orca 06 Patrol Ship belonging to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries that successfully caught the KM MUS for conducting a cargo transfer with two foreign fishing vessels in the Arafura Sea, Maluku. Quoting a KKP press release, PSDKP received information about foreign fishing vessels stealing fish in the Indonesian Fisheries Management Area 718 Arafura Sea.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono then ordered immediate security for the case. The KKP fisheries monitoring vessels deployed for fishing operations include Orca 04, Orca 05, Orca 06, Paus 01, and airborne surveillanceplane. It is divided into several operating sectors.
From tracking results with the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) of the Agency for Fisheries Control (PSDKP), the position of KM MUS was obtained. Subsequently, the Orca 06 patrol ship successfully captured KM MUS on April 14, 2024, early in the morning in the Arafura Sea, at coordinates 05° 30.422" LS-133° 59.005" BT.
