North Sumatra Police Name 6 Suspects In Smuggling Cases Of Dozens Of Illegal Migrant Workers

MEDAN - The team from the Polairud Directorate of the North Sumatra Police arrested dozens of illegal Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in Asahan Regency who were about to depart for Malaysia.

"The North Sumatran Police have arrested 86 illegal PMIs who will be sent abroad," said Head of North Sumatra Police Public Relations Kombes Hadi Wahyudi, in a written statement, Friday.

Hadi said that previously the Directorate of Polairud and the Ditreskrimsus of the North Sumatra Police had also succeeded in uncovering cases of illegal PMI shipments in Batubara Regency. "The North Sumatra Police are very attentive to the illegal PMI case," he said.

Meanwhile, North Sumatra Police Polairud Director Kombes Toni Ariadi Effendi said that the disclosure of the illegal PMI case was based on reports from the public.

"There are two cases of illegal PMI that we managed to uncover, namely Sunday (24/1) in Kwala Bagan Asahan and Tuesday, (1/2) in Sei Sarang Olang, Asahan Regency," he said.

Toni said, in the disclosure, Ditpol Airud arrested 86 PMI. When personnel were carrying out patrols in the waters of Sei Sarang Olang, Asahan Regency.

"A total of 86 PMI who were arrested were on a ship in a leaky condition. Luckily the PMI was rescued and did not sink in the middle of the sea," he explained.

He mentioned, as many as six people were named as suspects, namely AN (33) the captain, AP (34) ABK, S (38) ABK, IH (31) ABK, Z (38) ABK, and MF (23) ABK).

"Meanwhile, in the disclosure of PMI in Kwala Bagan Asahan Waters, Dit Polairud named three suspects, namely ZM (40) the captain, H (44) ABK, and LI (35) ABK," he said.

The Polairud Director added that the 86 illegal PMI arrested came from various regions, namely NTB, East Java, West Java, Madura, Lampung, Bengkulu, Jambi, and North Sumatra.

"From the results of the examination of the 86 illegal PMIs, 23 people have passports. The North Sumatra Police Ditpolairud will coordinate with Immigration to revoke the PMI's passports," he said.