Central Java Police Reveals 2 TIP Cases In Cilacap, 165 Victims And IDR 2.5 Billion Loss

Central Java Police Chief Inspector General Pol. Ahmad Luthfi (three from the left) showed evidence of the TIP case in Cilacap, (ANTARA)

CILACAP - Central Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General of Police Ahmad Luthfi said the General Criminal Directorate of the Central Java Police together with the Cilacap City Police succeeded in uncovering two cases of criminal trafficking in persons (TPPO).

"The first TIP case involved two suspects," he said during a press conference related to the TIP case at the Cilacap Police Headquarters, quoted by ANTARA Tuesday, June 6.

He said the modus operandi of the two suspects consisting of Sun (51), a resident of Indramayu, West Java, and Tar (43), a resident of Cilacap, was in the form of promising to process and dispatch prospective Indonesian migrant workers (CPMI) to South Korea.

According to him, the number of victims of CPMI who were successfully tricked by the two suspects reached 165 people with a loss of almost Rp. 2.5 billion.

"The recruited victims were taken to Indramayu, which is the location of the LPK ( Skills Education Institute). We have carried out an investigation and it turns out that the LPK is not licensed," he explained.

After the two suspects were arrested, he said, his party carried out development to PT AI in Jakarta.

If it turns out that the company is not licensed, he continued, his party will also ensnare PT AI under Article TIP.

"The second TIP case involved sister S. We did not detain sister S because she still had a baby," said the Kapolda.

According to him, suspect S was involved in European network TIPs such as the UK, Spain, and the Netherlands.

In carrying out the action, he said, S collaborated with a man with the initials Tan who had been included in the wanted list (DPO) because he was currently in Japan.

"The victims paid Rp70 million, but did not leave. In fact, some of the victims had left for Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, but the salary earned was not in accordance with the promised," he said.

Therefore, he said, the victims made a report to the Central Java Police which was followed up with the arrest of S on Tuesday (6/6) morning.

According to him, the suspects in the TIP case will be charged with Article 81 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, with a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

"My appeal is for people who want to work as migrant workers, one, check with migrant worker departure agents officially," he said.

The second appeal, he said, was to cooperate with the local Manpower Office to avoid fraud.

Furthermore, the Kapolda said that in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the TIP must be eradicated completely from upstream to downstream.

According to him, this is the basis for the police to enforce the law related to criminal acts of trafficking in persons abroad.

"The National Police Chief has appealed to us to act decisively with anyone involved in it because this (TPPO, ed.) is very disturbing to the community," he emphasized.