NTT Police Reveals Trafficking In Persons With A Salary Promise Mode Of IDR 300 Thousand Per Month

The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Regional Police (Polda) succeeded in uncovering a criminal case of trafficking in persons (TPPO) in Kupang City, with the mode of promising jobs to prospective migrant workers at IDR 300 thousand per month.

"The suspect with the initials AS was arrested last Saturday after the victim's family reported the alleged TIP to the NTT Police on Saturday night at 20.00 WITA," said Head of Public Relations of the NTT Police, Kombes Pol Ariasandy, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, December 8.

Kombes Pol Ariasandy explained that the suspect AS has now been detained on suspicion of recruiting and employing a victim with the initials FMN with the lure of salaries and jobs that are not realized.

Based on the FMN victim's family report, the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Jatanras team immediately headed to Naioni Village, Alak District, Kupang City.

"At that location, the police arrested two victims, namely YB (the victim's child) and FMN, along with the US suspect," said Ariasandy.

The results of the examination revealed that YB victims were recruited since October 2024 to work on laying hens with a salary promise of IDR 300,000 per month. However, after two months of work, the victim did not receive a salary at all.

FMN victims were contacted by the suspect with a promise of work at a shop in Kupang City. The victim came from South Central Timor Regency (TTS) using travel on December 1, 2024, and was picked up by the suspect. However, the victim did not get a job according to his promise and was instead taken to a chicken farm, where he experienced immoral acts by the suspect.

Kombes Pol Ariasandy added that investigators had sufficient evidence to determine AS as a suspect. The evidence includes statements from witnesses and victims, such as YB and FMN, as well as witnesses OM and FN, statements from suspects, clues in the form of cellphones belonging to victims and suspects, as well as visum et repertum results from FMN victims.

The US suspect is now officially detained and charged with Article 2 paragraph (1), Article 6, and Article 10 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons. Investigators have also completed the filing process to continue this case to the next stage.

Kombes Pol. Ariasandy stated that the NTT Police are committed to eradicating trafficking in persons in their area.

"This case shows the need for public awareness of the mode of trafficking in persons, especially with unclear work promises. We urge the public to immediately report if they know or experience something similar," he said.

This case is a serious warning of the dangers of TIP, especially in the NTT region which is often the target of perpetrators. The public is expected to be more careful with suspicious job offers and always verify the validity of the information received.

The NTT Regional Police also invited the public to participate in the prevention of TIP by reporting all forms of alleged violations to the authorities.