Police Investigate Allegations Of Human Trafficking Kerangkeng Similar To Prison At Langkat Regent's House Issues Plan To Warn The Winds

JAKARTA - The National Police Headquarters is paying attention to the finding of a prison-like cage at the house of the Regent of Langkat, North Sumatra. Investigate whether there is a connection with human trafficking.

"I'll check first whether there is a trafficking relationship," said Karo Penmas, Public Relations Division of the National Police, Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan, to reporters on Monday, January 24.

Meanwhile, the Head of Public Relations of the North Sumatra Police, Kombes Hadi Wahyudi, said that during the KPK search, 27 people were inside the prison-like building.

According to Kombes Hadi, the existence of the prison-like building has existed since 2012. Inside the Terbit Warin Angin Regent's house complex, there are 2 prison-like buildings.

"Initial information was used as a place of rehabilitation for people who are addicted to drugs," said Kombes Hadi in Medan, Monday, January 24.

Kombes Hadi said that until now the existence of drug rehabilitation, which the Langkat Regent called the 'Disabled Plan for Warring Angin', did not yet have a permit.

"In 2017, BNNK Langkat, had coordinated there, if it was used as a place of rehabilitation, let it be given official permission. But until last second, it didn't exist," he asserted.

Currently, he said, a joint team from the North Sumatra Regional Police is still investigating and gathering information regarding the existence of a prison-like building in the private residence of the Published War-Angin Plan.

"This is being investigated, related to developing information, this continues to be explored and the team is working to find facts on the ground. Information can be provided by the public," he said.

Regarding the allegations of employing people who are in the prison-like building in an oil palm plantation, Kombes Hadi did not explain in detail.

"The cell is there, in the form of a detention room, that's true. This team is currently investigating. If it is suspected of employing detained employees, until now all information is being investigated. Some say they work on the plantation every morning," he explained.

The Indonesian Association for Sovereign Migrant Workers, Migrant Care, revealed that 40 palm oil workers who were locked up in the house of the inactive Langkat Regent, Terbit Plan Warin Angin, were subjected to cruel treatment.

This was conveyed by Migrant Care representative, Anis Hidayah when reporting this condition to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). He said the human cage to this cruel treatment was opened when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) ensnared Terbit Plan in a sting operation (OTT).

"There are oil palm workers who work in their fields. In fact, we found seven cruel treatments suspected of being a form of modern slavery and human trafficking," said Anis at the Komnas HAM Office, Jalan Latuharhary, Central Jakarta, Monday, January 24.

Anis then detailed the seven cruel treatment of dozens of oil palm plantation workers. First, they were locked in an iron cage like an iron prison that was locked on the outside.

He said the iron cage became a place to accommodate workers in oil palm plantations. "Third, they do not have access anywhere," he said.

"Fourthly, they were tortured by beatings, bruising, and wounds. Fifth, they were fed improperly only twice a day," added Anis.

Next while working, they are not paid. Lastly, they cannot communicate with outsiders.

"So based on the case, we report it to Komnas HAM. Because in principle it is very heinous," he said.