Riau Police Hunt For Mastermind Of Smuggling 69 Migrant Workers To Malaysia

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

PEKANBARU - Riau Police Ditkrimum officers are still hunting for ZP who is the mastermind behind smuggling 69 illegal migrant workers to Malaysia.

Head of Public Relations of the Riau Police Kombes Sunarto said ZP managed to escape into the mangrove forest when officers were about to arrest him on Sunday (15/5).

The incident began when the Pompong ship and two speedboats were arrested by the perpetrator ZP, who is a tekong and owner, was about to bring illegal migrant workers to Selomang Baru Hamlet, Rupat District, Bengkalis, Sunday (15/5) at around 18.45 WIB.

The frightened ZP had been caught then crashed and broke through the mangrove forest, then fled. However, due to dark conditions and difficult search locations, the officers who were chasing them were unable to get ZP.

"ZP is currently still on the DPO status because he managed to escape. At that time, officers could only secure ES, who was tasked with finding illegal workers to take," said Sunarto, quoted by Antara, Friday, May 20.

The next day, Monday (16/5), a woman with the initials SS was also arrested who brought food for immigrants in an empty house in the middle of the forest, Medang Kampai sub-district, Dumai. The place was used as a temporary shelter for immigrant workers.

Not far from the location was found a shophouse which was also used as a shelter. In it there are 50 people who want to go to Malaysia illegally. The 50 illegal migrants were then handed over to the Dumai Police for further processing.

"The perpetrators admitted that they had carried out this illegal activity for 5 months and had dispatched hundreds of immigrant workers," he said.

From the results of the interrogation, ES admitted that he played a role in bringing illegal migrants from Dumai to Rupat and also looking for migrants to be recruited and given a salary of Rp. 4.7 million. He also earns extra money from tekong sea and workers.

"SS plays a role in accommodating illegal migrants from South Sulawesi, NTB, Java, Aceh, and North Sumatra as well as foreigners from Myanmar. He is paid Rp 5 million - Rp 13 million," explained Sunarto.

Meanwhile, ZP, who is currently still a DPO status, is in charge of preparing transportation means to dispatch illegal migrants to Malaysia. ZP is given a salary of around IDR 5 million – IDR 7 million.

As a result of his actions, the suspect was charged with Article 2 or Article 4 in conjunction with Article 10 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons with a minimum prison sentence of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years and a fine of Rp600 million.