VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

An Indonesian naval ship (Dok Guskamla I)

The Indonesian Maritime Security Task Force of 1st Fleet Command has driven out 84 foreign vessels illegally anchoring in the Tanjung Berakit waters of Bintan District, Riau Islands Province, a navy officer said.

Driving out the foreign vessels was part of the Indonesian Navy's endeavors to strengthen its maritime security in the waters which are prone to illegal activities and crimes, the task force commander, First Admiral Yayan Sofiyan, said in Batam, Riau Islands, Sunday.

The security maritime operations had also resulted in the arrests of suspected criminals who often conducted thefts and captures of several foreign vessels that had illegally anchored in Indonesia's territorial waters, he said.

Over this past week, several vessels that had allegedly violated the Indonesian Shipping Law (Law No. 17 of 2008) were TB NELLY 53/TK NELLY 76, LCT Cahata Maulida, TB SSE Alexandria, MT Sun Live, and MV Luna II, he said.

Yayan Sofiyan also highly appreciated the efforts that naval ship KRI Kujang-642 had made to chase MT Tenggiri which escaped to Singapore's territorial waters. (ANTARA)