Police Unload TIP Case In Batam Under The Guise Of Sending Students To Australia

Illustration of human trafficking (ANTARA)

BATAM - Barelang Police, Riau Islands have again uncovered the crime of trafficking in persons or TPPO cases under the guise of sending students to Australia and New Zealand. The police arrested a husband and succeeded in releasing 21 victims of TPPO in a shophouse or shophouse in the Teluk Tering area, Batam Center, Batam City, Riau Islands. The location was used as a shelter for illegal migrant workers who were then raided by the PPA Satreskrim Polresta Barelang Unit. From this raid, officers found 21 prospective migrant workers from several parts of Indonesia such as West Java, Central Java and North Sumatra. In addition, officers also arrested a husband and wife as suspects. From the examination, the suspects tricked the potential victims by establishing a foundation for foreign language training institutions, one of which was English. from the results of the examination of the suspect's foundation did not have a permit. Criminal Investigation Unit of the Barelang Police, Kompol Budi Hartono said that this English training was to convince the victims that they would actually be sent to Australia and New Zealand as students. To convince the victims, each victim was charged a fee of around Rp. 50 to Rp. 85 million rupiah. These funds are for the management of immigration documents and shelter fees and departure costs. There are as many as 21 prospective workers who will be dispatched abroad. After we have examined, they were promised to be dispatched to Australia and New Zealand,' explained Budi Hartono, Wednesday, August 23.

It is known that the husband and wife who are suspects have been undergoing this business since 2016. One of the suspects named Eliana, is known to be a recidivist in the same case.

Meanwhile, another suspect, Tarmizi, who is also Eliana's husband, is tasked with recruiting potential victims. Another suspect, Santi, is waiting at the shelter.