Police Arrest 2 Suspects Of Trafficking In Persons To Australia

Antara/Aditya Rohman

SUKABUMI - The Sukabumi Police Satreskrim Team, West Java, has again arrested two perpetrators of alleged criminal cases of trafficking in persons (TPPO) to Australia who had been on the run or had the status of a wanted list (DPO).

"It is true that we again arrested two other suspects who were TIP networks before. Both were arrested in two different locations in West Java," said Sukabumi Police Chief AKBP Maruly Pardede, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, October 5.

According to Maruly, the two suspects with the initials AM (41) were arrested in Cimahi City while SA (47) was arrested in the Garut Regency, West Java. The two suspects have different roles for SA as an intermediary or who owns a network of TIP syndicates in Australia while AM plays a role in providing ships.

With the arrest of AM and SA, the number of suspects in the TIP case became four people. Previously, the police also arrested AS (40) who acted as a recruitment and CL (29) a woman who had a role in contacting potential victims.

From the results of the raid carried out by joint officers on a house in Palabuhanratu District, Sukabumi Regency which was used as a temporary shelter for prospective migrant workers before leaving for Australia, 29 people were found to be victims of TIP.

Dozens of prospective illegal migrant workers came from various regions in Indonesia such as West Java, Central Java, East Java, NTB and Central Sulawesi. They are scheduled to depart in the near future but this case was quickly revealed on Saturday, (30/9).

Every victim who wants to become a foreign worker in Australia must pay an administrative fee of Rp40 million. It is planned that they will be placed in fruit plantations with wages calculated per hour.

"We are still developing this case, although neither the suspects nor the victims are Sukabumi residents, but the incident occurred in the jurisdiction of the Sukabumi Police so that the alleged TIP case was handled by us," he added.

Maruly said the plan was for the victims to be dispatched to Australia by using a sea route from Palabuhanratu Bay. Palabuhanratu was chosen as the location of the human smuggling experiment because it is quite close to Christmas Island, Australia.

These suspects were charged with Article 2 and/or Article 4 and/or Article 10, and/or Article 11 of Law No. 21 of 2007 concerning the eradication of TTPO which carries a minimum prison sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years.

The victims are currently being accommodated at the Palamarta Cibadak building, Sukabumi Regency.

In Palamarta, they underwent medical and psychological examinations, because there were several victims who were still traumatized. After that, they will be processed to return to their respective hometowns.