Jakarta. Indonesia's Directorate General of Customs and Excise and the Singapore Police Coast Guard signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to increase maritime observation on the sea borders between the two countries and stop illegal activities by organized criminals who are thought to have been funding terror groups in the area.  

The agreement was signed in Jakarta by Heru Pambudi, the director-general of the Indonesian customs and excise office, and Cheang Keng Kong, the commander of the Singapore coast guard.

"This MoU will be the foundation for a cooperation to prevent smuggling and other transnational organized crimes, and the basis for a more coordinated maritime patrol by the two countries," Heru said in a statement.

Drug smuggling and other transnational organized crimes have long been suspected to be a vital funding source for terror groups in Southeast Asia.

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