Three BP2MI Personnel Become Suspects Of Extortion Of Foreign Currency Exchange From PMI Less Lucky

TANGERANG - The Tangerang City District Attorney (Kejari) has named three suspects for corruption, extortion or illegal levies or receipts of gratuities by employees of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) in Tangerang City.

The three suspects had the initials HP (Chairman of the P4MI Team at Soeeta Airport), MT and JS.

The Head of Special Crimes (Special Crimes) of the Tangerang City Prosecutor's Office, Dewa Arya Lanang Raharja, said that 17 PMIs were deported to become victims of these individuals. Those who had just arrived felt forced to exchange currency, there were indications of gratification and bribery.

"Based on the Investigation Order of the Head of the Tangerang City Prosecutor's Office Number: Print- 3103 /M.6.11 / Fd.1 / 10 / 2023 dated October 4, 2023, the Investigative Team has collected evidence with which the evidence sheds light on the crime that occurred, so that 3 suspects were determined," Arya said in his statement, Thursday, October 19.

Arya explained that the incident began on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at around 13.30 p.m. local time in the international arrival area of Terminal 3 Soekarno Hatta International Airport (Soetta).

He said the Tangerang City Prosecutor's Office's Judicial Intelligence Operations Team carried out a series of surveillance activities in order to uncover the existence of airport mafia practices.

As a result, his party received information about one of the airport mafia practices in the form of foreign currency transactions carried out by unscrupulous Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Post (P4MI) officers at Soetta Airport to PMI.

"The P4MI officer took advantage of the difference between foreign currency exchange rates which they have set with the applicable exchange rate," he said.

It is something that cannot be justified to seek profit from PMIs who are less fortunate. It is known that in Brafaks, almost all of these PMIs are PMIs who have problems with local law and PMIs who receive bad treatment from their employers," he continued.

Lanang said the practice allegedly lasted for 2 years. In addition, the estimated bribery and gratuity value in the rupiah is estimated at Rp. 100 million.

"Because this is daily in nature. When on duty how many difference they share between the leader team and these elements," he said

The three suspects were charged with Law Number 20 of 2001 concerning amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption. The minimum threat is 4 years of gratification and 1 year of bribery.

The Head of Intelligence for the Tangerang District Attorney's Office, Khusnul Fuad, said that the three people were immediately detained.

"The suspects were immediately detained for subjective and objective reasons," he said.