Makassar, indomaritim.com – The Indonesian Navy is securing the cargo ship MV Global 88 in waters off Balikpapan after intercepting it off Majene, West Sulawesi, amid a legal dispute over a shipment of cigarettes bound for Malaysia.
The case remains under investigation, said Balikpapan Naval Base Commander Col. Rudhiro Pratomo, who stressed that the Navy was securing the vessel rather than detaining it in connection with a police report in East Java.
“We are assisting the police,” he told reporters in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday (October 27) as cited from Antara News Agency.
The Navy’s KRI (Naval Vessel of the Republic of Indonesia) KRIS intercepted the vessel off Majene on October 19 and escorted it to the Balikpapan naval base over a suspected legal dispute being handled by East Java police, he said.
“To clarify, we are not detaining the vessel but securing it because its cargo is involved in a legal dispute being handled by East Java police. We are assisting the police,” he said.
All 12 crew members, who are foreign nationals, are in good health, Rudhiro said.
He reiterated that the Navy was only securing the vessel and that questions about its detention should be directed to the police.
“Please contact East Java police, who are authorized to explain the case. We were instructed only to secure the vessel and await its handover to the authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fajriani Langgeng, a member of MV Global 88’s legal team, questioned the grounds for holding the ship.
She said an initial inspection had found no illegal goods and that all the cargo was lawful.
“The ship should have continued its voyage, but it was inspected off Majene and escorted to Balikpapan. There was no indication of illegal cargo or administrative violations,” she said. (Dul)
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