Illegal PMI Smugglers Are Arrested At The Riau Islands Port When Instead Of Departing NTT Residents To Malaysia

Illustration. The passenger ship bound for Malaysia docked at Sri Bintan Pura Port, Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands. (Between-Nikolas P)

The Indonesian National Police have arrested an illegal Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) smuggler with the initials AA (49), a resident of Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands (Kepri).

"We also secured a victim of an illegal PMI with the initials YM, from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province," said Tanjungpinang Police Chief Kombes Pol Heribertus Ompusunggu, Monday, February 13, as reported by Antara.

He stated that the perpetrator AA was detained at the Sri Bintan Pura International Port (SBP) Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands. AA was arrested while trying to send a victim YM to Malaysia, today, Monday, February 13.

To the police, the perpetrator AA admitted that he had committed the act of the company's people, namely placing illegal PMIs into the neighboring country.

The evidence that was secured was a photocopy of a legalized passport, a ship ticket from Batam to Tanjungpinang, a boat ticket from Tanjungpinang to Malaysia, a photocopy of the victim YM's ID card and a photocopy of BPJS perpetrator AA.

"As a result of his actions, the perpetrator is suspected of violating the PMI Law as referred to in the formulation of Article 81 in conjunction with Article 69 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 18 of 2017 concerning PMI Protection with a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of Rp. 15 billion," he said.

He explained that the chronology of the incident began with the request of a woman in Malaysia to the perpetrator AA to make a passport for the victim Ym, with an agreement that the management funds would be sent to the perpetrator in the amount of Rp. 4 million. The perpetrator then agreed and asked to send a photo and YM identity.

After that, victim YM departed from the original area of NTT to Batam, then went to Tanjungpinang to meet and take care of his passport with the perpetrator AA.

After the passport was completed, the woman from Malaysia, whose identity had not been identified, again contacted the perpetrator and asked that the victim be dispatched to Malaysia via the Tanjungpinang SBP port.

"But at that time, the perpetrator again asked for a departure fee of Rp. 2.5 million and it was agreed upon by the woman in Malaysia," he said.

However, before leaving for Malaysia, the perpetrator and the victim were first secured by the Tanjungpinang Police. Now both are being held for further processing.