Riau Islands Police Arrest 2 Illegal PMI Candidates Sending Network In Batam

The Ditpolairud of the Riau Islands Police thwarted the sending of illegal PMI candidates in Batam (ANTARA/HO Ditpolairud of the Riau Islands Police)

BATAM - The Directorate of Air and Water Police (Ditpolairud) of the Riau Islands Regional Police thwarted the illegal sending of 17 prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) to Malaysia from Batam by two networks sending illegal migrant workers.

"There were 17 PMIs who were secured from two different networks on the same day on July 28 yesterday, the first was in Batu Aji there were 16 people and 1 person in Tanjung Riau," said Head of Sub-Directorate of Gakkum Ditpolairud Riau Islands Police AKBP Sudarsono in Batam, reported by ANTARA. , Friday, July 29.

In addition to the illegal PMI candidates who were secured by the police, Sudarsono said that his party also arrested eight perpetrators from these two networks and two people are still being searched.

“Seven people from PMI candidates, 16 initials H, A, Y, N, R, RA, and P and one person from Tanjung Riau with initials MT. We are still pursuing the DPOs, the initials F and J," he said.

Sudarsono explained that the disclosure of this case began with reports from the public about the existence of a shelter in one of the shophouses suspected of containing illegal PMI candidates.

“After checking, it was true that we found 16 victims there. It was the same in Tanjung Riau, from the initial community reports," he said.

In carrying out the action, the suspects received millions of rupiah in wages for shipping to Malaysia.

"Perpetrator H and his friends get Rp. 4 million in wages for shipping from Batam to Malaysia, while MT is Rp. 1.5 million," said Sudarsono.

For now, all illegal PMI candidates who are secured are conducting inspections and data collection.

"After that, we will submit it to BP2MI, the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency," he said.

With this arrest, Sudarsono emphasized that his party was committed to taking action against violations of sending illegal PMIs within the jurisdiction of the Riau Islands Police.

"We also urge the public if there are relatives who want to become PMIs, they must go through the official channels that have become an agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia, in order to avoid stranded PMIs and sea accidents on their way to Malaysia as happened before," he said.