30 Malaysian-purpose Illegal Migrant Workers Arrested In Bengkalis Forest Area

Illegal migrant workers who were detained by the police in the Bengkalis forest area, Riau (ANTARA)

The Bengkalis Police Criminal Investigation Unit team together with the Bukit Batu Police Criminal Investigation Unit arrested 25 Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) and five foreign nationals who were going to Malaysia illegally in the seafront forest area of Sepahat Village, Bandar Laksamana District.

"We have managed to secure 30 illegal migrant workers to go to Malaysia through illegal routes in the forest area on the edge of Sepahat Village and one person with the initials SY (38) who is suspected of being the tekong/cakong who distributes the migrant workers," said Bengkalis Police Chief AKBP Setyo Bimo Anggoro, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, September 14.

The police chief explained that the disclosure of the crime of trafficking in persons (TPPO) began with public information on Monday. Then he ordered his staff to uncover the PMI smuggling to Malaysia which was carried out for three days.

"From the results of the investigation, we managed to apprehend 30 migrant workers, consisting of 25 Indonesian citizens and five foreign nationals," said the Police Chief.

From PMI's confession, they left for Malaysia in an unofficial (illegal) manner. From the results of the investigation, it was found that this PMI was managed by the departure of a husband and wife (couple) with the initials SP (48) and SY (38) who came from Sepahat Village.

"When SP was about to be arrested, SP managed to escape into the forest, while we arrested SY at his house," added Bimo.

These Indonesian and foreign migrant workers, and SY have been taken to the Bengkalis Police Headquarters for further investigation. Furthermore, the Opsnal team continued to pursue SP, besides that, evidence of five foreign passports (Bangladesh) and seven Indonesian passports were also secured.

"We have imposed articles 2, 4, 10 and 11 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the criminal act of trafficking in persons in conjunction with Article 81 in conjunction with Article 83 of Law Ri No. 17 of 2018 concerning the protection of Indonesian migrant workers in conjunction with Article 120 of Law No. 6 of 2011 concerning immigration," said Bimo.