Bintan Police Securs 5 Illegal PMIs From NTB

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bintan Police, AKP Marganda Pandapotan. (ANTARA/Ogen)

BINTAN - Bintan Police, Riau Islands (Kepri) arrested five illegal Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) who had just been sent home from Malaysia through the people's port in the area.

The five illegal PMIs are SN (35), RW (27), TA (31), AZR (41) and AM (36).

"They are illegal PMIs, because they left for work from Lombok to Malaysia via port in Batam, but used a traveler's passport," said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bintan Police, AKP Marganda Pandapotan, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 13.

Kasat explained that the chronology of the incident began when the five illegal PMIs were returned from Sungai Rengit, Malaysia to the Jibut River, Tanjung Uban, Bintan Regency, Saturday (10/6) in the early hours of the morning, at 03.00 WIB, using a fast boat measuring approximately 10 meters with two outboard engines.

After arriving at the Jibut River, he said, they boarded a yellow lori brought by a driver with the initials MC, heading to an illegal PMI shelter in the Bumi Roro complex, North Bintan District, belonging to a person with the initials MT.

"At around 04.00 WIB they arrived at the shelter, they rested and the owner of the MT shelter asked for security money of around Rp. 200 thousand per person," said Kasat.

Furthermore, at around 09.30 WIB, the five illegal PMI SN, RW, TA, AZR and AM were brought back from the shelter to the Bulang Linggi port and the Roro Ship Port in Tanjung Uban to be repatriated to their area of origin, NTB.

At that time the five were escorted by a person with the initials SR using a white Veloz car on the orders of the owner of an illegal PMI shelter, MT.

"When they arrived at the Bulang Linggi port, the police immediately arrested the five illegal PMIs, including SR who were tasked with escorting them to the port," said the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit.

Currently, the five illegal PMIs have been secured at the Bintan Police Headquarters for further investigation, because it is suspected that dozens of other illegal PMIs were also repatriated together from Malaysia through Tanjung Uban.

His party also coordinated with B2PMI regarding the repatriation of the five illegal PMIs from NTB.

"Meanwhile, SR was named a suspect because of his role in escorting illegal PMIs from shelters to ports," he said.

The Bintan Police also conducted further investigations into two other people, namely the MC who allegedly played a role in picking up illegal PMIs when they arrived at the port of Sungai Jibut to the shelter.

Then, another MT who allegedly provided shelters and transportation equipment for illegal PMIs.

"To note, illegal PMIs who were repatriated from Malaysia through Bintan Regency are subject to pay around 3,500 Ringgit Malaysia or equivalent to Rp. 11 million," said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bintan Police.