Ditpolairud Riau Secures 8 Illegal Migrant Workers From Malaysia

Suspect S, captain of the Jaya II Fisherman's Motorboat carrying illegal migrant workers, was attended at a press conference at the Ditpolairud Polda Riau, Pekanbaru, Monday (5/2/2024). ANTARA/Annisa Firdausi

The Directorate of Water and Air Police of the Riau Regional Police has arrested eight illegal Indonesian migrant workers who came from Malaysia by boarding a wooden boat headed by a man with the initials S (58) in the waters of the Bagan River, Rokan Hilir Regency.

"The illegal migrant worker came from Malaysia and will be taken to Bagan Readyiapi without going through the Immigration checkpoint properly," said Director of Polairud of the Riau Police, Kombes Wahyu Prihatmaka, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 5.

The Jaya II fishing boat used to transport illegal migrant workers was also secured to the Rokan Hilir Police Police Polairud Unit in Bagan Readyiapi, Saturday (3/2). Meanwhile, the S captain and eight illegal migrant workers were taken to the Riau Police Ditpolairud Sub-Directorate Office for further investigation.

Based on the results of the examination, a Malaysian citizen with the initials BL is said to be an agent who dispatched illegal migrant workers to return to Indonesia. The illegal migrant worker was priced at 2,200 to 2,400 Ringgit Malaysian costs or around Rp. 7 million per person.

Then an agent in Indonesia with the initials D sent a photo of an illegal migrant worker to make a book of sailors that D handed over to suspect S to be brought to Malaysia when he was going to pick up illegal migrant workers.

The sailors' book was used to trick officers if there was an inspection on the way so that the illegal migrant workers seemed to be crew members of the KM Fisherman Jaya II ship.

"Suspect S received wages from D of Rp. 1 million per person," said Wahyu.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Riau Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI) Fanny Wahyu Kurniawan appreciated the success of the Riau Police Ditpolairud in securing the victims and suspects.

According to Fanny, it is necessary to investigate further who is behind the syndicate that has facilitated the manufacture of sailors' books because the sailors' books should only be issued by the Ministry of Transportation for crew members.

"Law enforcement will investigate whether this is really an official book issued by the relevant agencies. Furthermore, we will provide data on the victim to find out the chronology of the beginning before being returned to the original area," said Fanny.

For his actions, suspect S was charged with Article 120 Paragraph (1) of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration.