Dumai, Riau,, April 23 -- Indonesian authorities in Riau Province have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 68 people across the border to Malaysia, including 61 Indonesian nationals and seven foreign citizens from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Riau Police's Director of General Crimes Commissioner Hasyim Risahondua said the group was scheduled to depart from a small port in Medang Kampai Subdistrict using a boat without official documents.

"Two suspects were arrested at Selinsing Beach in Dumai City," Hasyim told reporters on Thursday.

The migrants-mostly workers from West Sumatra, Aceh, Jambi's Kerinci, North Sumatra, and Lombok-were rescued after police received a tip-off from local residents about the planned illegal departure on April 18.

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