BP3MI Records 5,300 Riau Islands Residents Trapped In Syndicate In Cambodia, Some Are Willing To Sell Organs To Go Home

BP3MI Riau Islands accompanied the repatriation of illegal PMIs from abroad at Sri Bintan Pura International Port (SB P) Tanjungpinang City, Thursday (14/11/2024). ANTARA/Ogen

The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Center (BP3MI) noted that around 5,300 residents of the Riau Islands Province (Kepri) worked illegally in Cambodia as scammers and online gambling operators.

Head of BP3MI Ripri Kombes Imam Riyadi said the thousands of residents were recruited by international syndicates through social media advertisements with offers to work at official large-paid companies.

"They were indeed dispatched for free to Cambodia, but in reality they got there instead they were employed as scammers and online gambling operators with low salaries," said Imam in Tanjungpinang, Antara, Thursday, August 28.

According to Imam, the workers were victims of a criminal act of trafficking in persons (TPPO) because Cambodia was not an official placement country for Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI).

They departed using a tourist visa via an official port, then some were directed to Thailand before being brought to Cambodia by land by illegal agents.

Many victims rebelled after learning that work conditions did not meet their promises. However, they could not go home freely and were asked to pay a replacement fee of around Rp. 40 million per person.

"In fact, there are victims who are willing to sell their organs to redeem replacement money when their families in Indonesia are unable to pay them off," said Imam.

Separately, the Head of the Regional Office of the Riau Islands Immigration Directorate General, Ujo Sujoto, appealed to residents, especially young people, not to be tempted by illegal work offers abroad. Throughout January to July 2025, the Riau Islands Immigration postponed the departure of 3,482 Indonesians suspected of being victims of TIP.

"Residents who are rejected are dominated by young people who will work as operators of online gambling in Cambodia," said Ujo.

He said that international syndicates often target young people with the lure of high salaries, when in fact they are forced to work more than 20 hours with low pay. Parents are asked to supervise their children and ensure that their departure from work abroad is carried out through the official BP3MI route.

According to Ujo, immigration officers detected prospective victims of TIP through interviews at the international port.

"Instead of them becoming victims of TIP, it is better for us to postpone their departure," he said.

He added that the geographical location of Riau Islands which directly borders Malaysia and Singapore has made this province prone to trafficking in persons. The provincial government has formed a TIP Task Force that involves various agencies, including Immigration, to protect the public from these crimes.