Karimun, Riau Islands, Feb 22 (Antara) - Riau Islands customs office has foiled the smuggling of 1.150 ballpressed used-clothes worth Rp3.45 billion from Port Klang in Malaysia, heading Tanjungbalai Asahan in North Sumatra, an official of the customs office said.

Head of operation and enforcement of Riau Island customs, R Evy Suhartyanto said here, Tuesday, the Indonesian-flagged vessel KM Teguh 1 with ship captain AL and 8 crews was intercepted by the customs patrol ship at Aruah Island waters.

"When our patrol ship intercepted the vessel, its captain and 8 crews crashed their ship's hull to ours. Then they plunged into the water," he said.

Another customs patrol ship BC 761 came to the location to help, he added. "After our officials managed to control the situation, BC761 ship which was also functioned as a search and rescue ship evacuated all the crews."

Unfortunately, most of the smuggled used-clothes were sunk and the authority could only seize six balls of the clothes.

"The remaining were sunk along with the ship in Aruah Island waters," Evy said, adding that the smuggling practice could harm domestic textile production.

"It violated article 102(a) law 17/2006 on customs, transporting imported good without legal document," Evy said. (Antara)

Editor: Bustanuddin