Pirate ring leader caught in Cirebon

"The suspect had attacked and looted many vessels in the Malacca Strait, and was on the police wanted list for the last three years," he said.

A member of the police squad who preferred to remain anonymous said that the suspect has an extensive network covering Medan and Aceh, with oil tankers, merchant velssels and fishing boats as target.

"The privates also used to collect `security fees` from ship operators so that their ships would be left alone," he said.