Soetta Immigration Arrests Italian Fugitives For Smuggling People

JAKARTA - The TPI Soekarno-Hatta (Soetta) Special Class I Immigration Office arrested Italian citizens who were on the wanted list (DPO) of the Directorate General of Immigration with the initials GA related to criminal acts of trafficking in persons (TPPO) and human smuggling (TPPM).

"The search and pursuit were hampered because the suspect GA often moved from place to place of residence. However, our investigators remained consistent in gathering information until June 26, 2023, the suspect GA was successfully secured at a luxury hotel in Central Jakarta," said Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office Muhammad Tito Andrianto, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 4.

Previously, GA was known to have helped the departure of a Sri Lankan citizen on behalf of PJ by providing a passport identity to be falsified.

Then, GA played a role in booking tickets and check-in processes. GA's involvement was strengthened by CCTV evidence showing GA was at Soekarno-Hatta Airport International Terminal 3 to check-in with its original passport, then provided the passenger boarding to PJ in the East Lobby Vaccine Area (East Lobby) Terminal 3.

Suspect GA is known to have asked PJ for 10 thousand US dollars if the departure process is successful until it arrives at the destination country.

Currently, PJ is serving a period of detention at the Class I Youth Prison in Tangerang, Banten, based on the verdict of the Tangerang District Court for 1 year and 6 months, as well as a fine of Rp. 150 million or a subsidiary to imprisonment of 2 months.

For his actions, GA was charged with Article 120 paragraph (2) of Law no. 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration in conjunction with Article 53 of the Criminal Code with a maximum imprisonment of 15 (15teen) years and a maximum fine of IDR 1.5 billion.

"Once again I appreciate the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Community for synergizing and helping in the search for GA so far, this synergy that we must protect so that all crimes that can harm many people, even the state, can be prevented, especially regarding TIP which is now a concern of the Directorate General of Immigration," said Director General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Silmy Karim.

GA has been hunted since November 2022 for his role in dispatching a resident from Sri Lanka with the initials PJ using a fake passport, but his departure was thwarted by Soekarno-Hatta Immigration officers on November 29, 2022.

GA was successfully secured by officers from the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Division (Inteljakim) Soekarno-Hatta Immigration at a five-star hotel in the Central Jakarta area.