JAKARTA: Indonesian police said yesterday they have arrested an Iranian-born Australian resident suspected of heading a people-smuggling network that spanned the country.
Mohammad Abdi, was detained at an apartment in Jakarta on Monday along with two other Iranians, said Nani Rusiani, a senior officer in the police’s anti-smuggling taskforce.
“Abdi plays an important role in the people-smuggling business,” Rusiani said.
“He travels at least five times a month to Indonesia from Australia to arrange boat trips.”
Rusiani said police tracked Abdi down after they detained in west Java on May 8 a man called Habid Abdullah, who was working for Abdi, along with some 30 Iranian asylum-seekers who were about to head to Australia.
Abdullah told police that Abdi had given him $11,700 to arrange the voyage. AFP
