http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/the-hidden-cargo-that-eluded-customs/story-fn9hm1gu-1226144984146 The 'hidden' cargo that eluded Customs Paul Maley and Peter Alford From: The Australian Asylum-seekers arrive at Christmas Island yesterday. Jakarta sources say at least one more people-smugglers' boat is about to put to sea, carrying up to 70 passengers. Picture: Kent Retallick Source: The Australian
September 24, 2011 12:00AM PEPOPLE-SMUGGLERS had crammed 50 asylum-seekers into a tiny, secret compartment beneath the deck of an Indonesian fishing boat, where they remained hidden from a Customs boarding party until the boat docked at Christmas Island. Customs and Border Protection was forced into an embarrassing admission yesterday, revealing that the initial search of one of two vessels intercepted within hours of each other failed to uncover almost half of its passengers. Discovery of the "hidden" cargo was only made later at Christmas Island. People on the second boat intercepted, which was carrying 66 passengers, apparently called contacts in Australia to report it was in trouble in international waters and in need of assistance. Sources in Jakarta told The Weekend Australian that at least one more boat was about to put to sea, as smugglers take advantage of Australia's political impasse over asylum policy. The boat, expected to carry about 70 passengers, has been organised by a people-smuggler whose arrest for extradition has been sought by Australian authorities. The boat's departure was delayed earlier in the week by Indonesian police action. The latest interceptions take to three the number of boatloads of asylum-seekers to be taken to Christmas Island since the August 31 High Court decision that scuttled the Malaysia Solution. At least two other boats have been arrested in Indonesian waters in the past fortnight. One, a small boat overloaded with 44 passengers, got into difficulties about three hours after launching near Makassar, Sulawesi, last week. Initial reports said one of the two boats intercepted on Thursday was carrying 60 people. That was revised when an additional 50 passengers were found hidden in a 1m-high concealed compartment below the main deck. A spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor attributed the embarrassing, and potentially dangerous, oversight to the difficult conditions that accompanied the boat's interception. Customs personnel boarded the vessel in pitch dark, at 12.40am local time yesterday (3.40am AEST). Conditions aboard the ship were described as "incredibly cramped and crowded". The spokeswoman said the secret compartment was accessed via a hatch near the engineroom. Once the hatch was located, the spokeswoman said, "people who had been travelling in a previously unsighted compartment were able to climb out and move around the multi-tiered hold". "The area is approximately one metre in height, which required the people in that area of the vessel to lie down or crouch to fit," she said. "The people in this area were not locked in and do not appear to be have been actively trying to avoid detection. Rather, the extremely crowded conditions seem to indicate that this space was utilised to enable all the people to fit aboard." The boat was also taking on water and had to be pumped, although it was not sinking. The second boat, carrying 66 passengers and two crew, was assisted by HMAS Pirie about midnight on Thursday. Australian authorities received two distress calls from people calling within Australia at 11am and 12pm AEST on Thursday. Those on board were frightened by overcrowding on the vessel, which was sailing in what they thought were high seas. It is understood the boat's engine was still working and it had not been swamped. Authorities described the vessel's condition as "poor" but said it was not in danger of sinking. It was reported to be 100 nautical miles north of Christmas Island. A search effort was co-ordinated by the Indonesian search and rescue authority, BASARNAS, with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Rescue Co-ordination Centre providing assistance. HMAS Pirie and a RAAF P3 surveillance aircraft searched for the boat, which was eventually located within the Indonesian search and rescue zone. Mr O'Connor defended the decision to take the boat to Australia, saying the custom in such situations was to head for the nearest port. The two latest boats are believed to have sailed from the West Java coast early on Thursday in seas running 2.5m to 3.5m. They evaded Indonesian detection despite the national police's anti-people smuggling taskforce and immigration investigators operating on heightened alert since the High Court decision. The one carrying 109 people is understood to have been despatched by an Afghan or Pakistani Hazara operator, and is the biggest boatload to have been sent from Indonesia this year. Canberra officials renewed their request for the arrest of prolific smuggler Syed Abbas after the previous large consignment - 102 passengers - was apprehended on August 1. Indonesian Justice Ministry officials were advised Abbas was allegedly responsible. Abbas was arrested by the Indonesian anti-people smuggling taskforce on August 24. He is currently in national police custody while the ministry clarifies whether he has to serve a 2 1/2-year sentence for an earlier smuggling offence, before the Australian request for extradition is heard. However groups headed by him and Haji Sakhi, a Pakistani smuggler already jailed for immigration offences and also sought by the Australians, have continued to organise boats in the past month. Related Coverage a.. WARNING: Labor tips surge amid asylum limbo b.. ALP: Gillard's days as PM numbered c.. DENNIS SHANAHAN: Forget blame game a.. Four kids among 175 new arrivals The Australian, 6 hours ago b.. New boat the first since refugee ruling The Australian, 9 Sep 2011 c.. Asylum boats aim for NZ, Canada The Australian, 12 Jul 2011 d.. People smugglers 'collateral damage' Courier Mail, 8 Jun 2011 e.. 'Coerced' smugglers appeal The Australian, 1 May 2011 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
