Farouk Arnaz – The National Police have arrested two more suspects in connection with plot to use a military escort to smuggle 45 Iranian and Syrian asylum seekers to Australia, police said on Thursday.

The two suspects – both civilians – allegedly agreed to help five members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) escort the asylum seekers to a waiting boat on West Java's southern shore. They were promised Rp 5 million ($530) each if the asylum seekers reached the boat safely. The two suspects were detained on Thursday.

"Both of them are still being questioned at Sukabumi police office." National Police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar said. They have been charged with people smuggling, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Local police previously arrested five members of the Indonesian Military in the sweep, TNI spokesman Rear Adm. Iskandar Sitompul said on Wednesday. The soldiers were allegedly guarding four vans packed with asylum seekers as they drove through West Java to a boat waiting at Palangpang beach. The boat would then take them to Australia's Christmas Island.

"The [soldiers] came from the Siliwangi territorial command in West Java," Iskandar said. "They are being interrogated by the military police."

Police are still searching for the alleged mastermind behind the people smuggling ring. The bust came weeks after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard agreed to combat people-smuggling.

It wasn't the first time members of the TNI have been implicated in people smuggling. In December of last year, three soldiers from the Brawijaya command in East Java were arrested as they allegedly attempted to smuggle asylum seekers to Australian soil.