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Kupang. Authorities in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, are now making necessary arrangements to deport 61 illegal Afghans apprehended in the waters off Rote Island last Thursday as they sailed for Australia, a police officer said on Monday.

“We are currently coordinating with the International Organization for Migration and the provincial immigration office so that these 61 immigrants can be deported back to their country as they have no proper documents,” Comr. Bayu Herlambang, of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Marine Police said.

Local Marine Police personnel said they were forced to fire warning shots last Thursday to stop the asylum seekers from attacking the crew of the boat attempting to smuggle them into Australia.

However, quoting a 17-year-old Afghan boy, the Australian Associated Press reported that the police were firing at the boat carrying Afghan refugees because they could not pay the amount of money demanded by the police.

The boy said that their boat had been intercepted earlier by another police patrol boat and they had paid as much as they could after the police demanded $50,000 from the immigrants.

Herlambang denied the report and insisted they were just trying to stop the attack on the boat crew.

“There was no such thing [as extortion], if someone said our police asked for money, it is not true,” said Bayu. “We fired shots because they attempted to fight back by trying to crash into [our patrol] Beo boat and flee.”

Sr. Com. AR Lubis, chief of the NTT Marine Police, said his men had to fire shots because the boat’s skipper, Rahya Abdul Said, attempted to evade capture by three patrol boats .

Lubis also said the immigrants tried to bribe the police, offering Rp 30 million ($3,210) in order to let them sail to Australia.

“ We declined the offer and continued to escort the boat to NTT Marine Police Headquarters in Bolok, Kupang, for further investigation,” he said.

Lubis added that the money was then taken as evidence of attempted bribery.

Lubis said one of the immigrants was believed to be part of an international trafficking mafia. “We will proceed with an intensive investigation on the subject after he receives medical treatment at Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Kupang,” he said.

He also confirmed that three officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) would assist with the investigation, but focusing on the trafficking mafia.