Batam Immigration Tahan Keberangkatan 767 Orang Diduga PMI Illegal

Illustration of PMI (intermediate)

JAKARTA - The Immigration Office Class I for Immigration Checks (TPI) Batam, Riau Islands (Kepri), postponed the departure of 767 people suspected of being illegal PMIs in November 2024, as an effort to strengthen the prevention of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO).

Batam Hajar Aswad Immigration Chief in Batam said efforts to strengthen TIP prevention were carried out through strict supervision at ports and international airports.

"Currently, we have postponed the departure from the port and airport checkpoints by 767 people. In addition, in November there were 12 passport applications that we rejected or postponed their issuance, and we have submitted all reports to the center as part of prevention efforts," said Hajar quoting Antara.

He conveyed that this step was taken as a form of protection for the community so as not to become victims of human trafficking or labor exploitation.

"Most of the illegal PMI candidates come from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and several provinces on the island of Java," he said.

Hajar said, as part of the prevention of TIP, the Batam Immigration Office routinely monitors in the field, both at international crossings and passport issuance.

Previously, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Agency (Kabreskrim) of the National Police, Komjen Pol Wahyu Widada, said that there were three Regional Police that uncovered a large number of cases of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO), one of which was the Riau Islands Police (Kepri).

"Throughout the past month, there have been three Regional Police with a fairly large number of disclosures, namely the Riau Islands Regional Police, North Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan," Wahyu said in a release of the TIP case which was followed online from the Riau Islands Regional Police Headquarters, Batam City, Friday (22/11).

The three-star police general said the TIP had become a concern not only in Indonesia, but also in the international community's attention.

TIP, he said, is a transnational crime and is usually a crime organized in exploiting victims.