Tasikmalaya Police Help Repatriate Victims Of TIP Who Had Been Arrested In Malaysia

A number of families welcomed the arrival of TIP victims who returned to Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, Tuesday (22/8/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Pokja Tasikmalaya Police)

TASIKMALAYA - The Tasikmalaya Police and other agencies assisted in the process of repatriating victims of the crime of trafficking in persons (TPPO) from Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, from Malaysia.

"Alhamdulillah, we were able to return the victim from Malaysia to Indonesia thanks to the help of all parties," said Tasikmalaya Police Chief AKBP Suhardi Heri Haryanto as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 22.

Victim of TIP Lusi (24), a resident of Cikatomas District, Tasikmalaya Regency, was a victim of confinement, then managed to escape until he was abandoned in Malaysia for 10 months.

The police chief said that based on the victim's family report, it was then followed up by the Tasikmalaya Police until finally the victim was able to return to Indonesia thanks to the collaboration with the National Police Headquarters and the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia, Monday (21/8).

"We are also happy because they can get together again," said Suhardi.

Meanwhile, the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tasikmalaya Police, AKP Ari Rinaldo, explained that the victim left for Malaysia through his friend in Tasikmalaya.

The victim went to work in Malaysia because he was offered a large salary, but upon arrival at the destination, the victim was locked up by the perpetrators of the TIP there.

However, the victim managed to escape from the confinement site, then hid in a durian plantation area in Malaysia, and tried to survive by working in a shop around the durian garden.

"This victim escaped from the location of the confinement, then the victim hid in one of the durian gardens in Malaysia," he said.

Ari conveyed that the case was revealed after the victim's family reported it to the police regarding Lusi who was abandoned in Malaysia.

The Tasikmalaya Police then coordinated with the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the West Java Police to follow up on the TIP case.

The police together with other related parties were able to find the victim and bring him back to Indonesia, although previously the victim was afraid that he would not be able to go home because the documents were incomplete.

"The victim was afraid when he was directed to come personally to the Indonesian Ambassador there, because he might be afraid of raids," he said.