POLICE ARREST THREE ALLEGED HUMAN SMUGGLERS

Sukabumi, Feb 27 (ANTARA) - Police in Sukabumi, West Java, have arrested three people allegedly planning to smuggle dozens of immigrants from Afghanistan and Iran to Australia.

"The three arrested men's initials are M, B and S . We do not know yet if they will be held in Sukabumi or at the national police headquarters," Sukabumi police resort chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Herukoco said on Saturday.

He said police believe the three were about to smuggle 93 immigrants from Afghanistan and Iran to Australia from a spot on the Ujunggenteng coast in the district.

"On the Ujunggenteng coast there are indeed many spots from which it is relatively easy to smuggle goods or humans to other countries," he said.

The Sukabumi police early on Saturday were able to hold tens of illegal immigrants while they were passing through Warungkiara on their way to Ujunggenteng. Police believe they were headed to Australia.

Heru said the police were still trying to extract more information from the driver of the bus belonging the defense ministry that was transporting the immigrants to the Ujunggenteng coast.

"The illegal immigrants will be further processed based on Law Number 9 of 1992 on immigration," he said.

He said the immigrants had been taken to the local immigration office for questioning before being handed over to the Immigration Directorate General for further processing.

The head of reinforcement and supervision of the Sukabumi immigration office, Mirwan, said right now the office was still waiting for officials from the Directorate General of Immigration who would take care of the illegal immigrants.

"We have no place to accomodate them here. They will be taken to the detention house of the Directorate General of Immigration in Kalideres, West Jakarta," he said.

The immigrants consist of four women, three children and men. Two of the Iranians held passports for vacationing in Indonesia and almost all of the Afghans carried documents from the UNHCR.