North Sulawesi is situated in the most northern part of Indonesia. This border province encompasses 15,472,98 square kilometres, and the length of its coastline is 1,837 kilometres (Dewan Maritim Indonesia 2007a, p. 31). North Sulawesi consists of a large number of islands, including Manado Tua, Bangka, Lembeh, Siau, Tagulandang, Karakelang, Karabuan, Salibabu, and 124 smaller islands (ibid.). These smaller outlying islands are grouped into the following three categories: the Talaud Islands, the Sangir Besar Islands, and Siau Tagulandang and Biaro (ibid.).

North Sulawesi shares a maritime border with the Philippines to the north and a land border with the Indonesian Gorontolo province to the west. It faces the Tomini Gulf to the south and the Moluccas Sea to the east (Dewan Maritim Indonesia 2007a, p. 32). Located strategically between the Sulawesi Sea and the Pacific Ocean, North Sulawesi has grown to be the economic centre for the eastern part of Indonesia. The port sector presents commercial opportunities that contribute significantly to the North Sulawesi economy (ibid., p. 62). Thus, the security of ports in North Sulawesi is crucial to developing the economic potential of this border province and to maintaining the safety of maritime gateways that connect the east and west parts of Indonesia.

The transport of goods and people to and from North Sulawesi ports face various challenges from trans-border criminal and terrorist activities. In order to secure ports and the many outlying islands in North Sulawesi, government authorities have formed close partnerships with preman organizations. This chapter will explain the participation of preman organizations in port security in North Sulawesi. The next part of this chapter will map the existing preman organizations in North Sulawesi that take part in securing ports and outlying islands in the province. It will explain their cooperation with state authorities and identify government agencies that collaborate with preman organizations. The third part will elaborate on the relatively low degree of tensions within North Sulawesi society that occur as a result of the involvement of preman organizations in the security sector. The fourth part of the chapter will outline the illicit trans-border activities that are rampant at North Sulawesi's maritime borders. It will provide details of the involvement of preman organizations in seeking to deter these illicit activities.