Bali Immigration Will Not Protect Employees Suspected Of Being Involved In The Case Of Selling And Buying Kidneys

Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bali, Sugito. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bali, emphasized that it would not protect local agency employees suspected of being involved in a trade syndicate or buying and selling kidneys in Cambodia.

"We give full support to the process of investigating the case by law enforcement officials," said Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bali, Sugito in Denpasar, quoted from Antara, Saturday, July 22.

He also did not tolerate the actions of an Immigration employee with the initials AH who had tarnished the institution.

"This incident is very unfortunate and has raised concerns within the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office," he added.

Daily, AH is on duty at the examination table of the Immigration International Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali.

Sugito also emphasized that he was ready to assist in the investigation process by the police regarding the involvement of AH who had previously been named a suspect.

"We are cooperative and fully support the ongoing legal process. We appreciate the efforts of law enforcement officials in eradicating such illegal practices," he added.

Meanwhile, Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Bali Province, Anggiat Napitupulu, added that AH had been disabled from his duties and temporarily dismissed until the case had legal provisions from the court.

"Institutionally, we will conduct an in-depth investigation to anticipate that cases like this should not be carried out by other officers," said Anggiat.

Previously, a joint team from Polda Metro Jaya and the National Police Headquarters arrested 12 perpetrators who were named suspects related to the kidney buying and selling syndicate that had spread to Cambodia.

Of the 12 suspects, one of them was an Immigration officer with the initials AH who was arrested on July 19, 2023 in Bali.

This case revealed AH's role in passing prospective kidney donors during an immigration check at Ngurah Rai Airport.

For his role in the syndicate, AH allegedly received Rp3.2 million to Rp3.5 million for each victim who went to Cambodia.

AH previously served at the Belawan Immigration Office, North Sumatra, and since October 2022 the work mutation to Bali.

Meanwhile, based on the latest records of Immigration Ngurah Rai on June 15, 2023, together with the police and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) thwarted the departure of four victims of the criminal act of trafficking in persons (TPPO) involving two suspects.

The victims were promised to work in Cambodia and departed via I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali.