There Is A New Path For Slending Migrant Workers After Arrest At Soetta Airport

Acting Head of BP3MI Banten Dharma Saputra/ Photo: Antara

TANGERANG - The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) has detected a new route in the smuggling of illegal migrant workers abroad by international network trafficking syndicates.

"We are now estimating that the mode (of smuggling of migrant workers) will shift to other airports after there is prevention at Soetta Airport of 38 migrant workers by the security forces," said Acting Head of BP3MI Banten Dharma Saputra, as reported by Antara, Sunday, February 12.

According to him, the alleged diversion of the delivery route for migrant workers after Soekarno Hatta Airport was deemed unsafe because there had been an attempt to thwart it by local security forces.

"So, after the police reveal the delivery of prospective non-procedural migrant workers at Soekarno Hatta Airport, they will shift to other airports," he said.

Dharma said that another location targeted by syndicates in the distribution of non-procedural migrant workers was Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, East Java.

However, his party has also asked local aviation management authorities to cooperate in monitoring related to efforts to illegally dispatch migrant workers.

"We also urge airlines to work together regarding the destination mode to be able to identify from the start," he said.

Dharma also reminded security forces at all airports to be able to pay attention to the fantastic increase in the number of flight ticket bookings because it is a mode carried out by the syndicates of the people's trade crimes.

"So when there is a booking of flight tickets with fantastic numbers, this must be a coordinator (ordering plane tickets), so it must be considered," he said.

Previously, on Friday (10/2), the Soekarno Hatta Airport Police succeeded in dismantling an international syndicate of people trafficking (TPPO) through Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tangerang.

The modus operandi is to distribute Indonesian migrant workers non-procedurally to Middle Eastern countries based on reports from the Ministry of Manpower.

This disclosure began when the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) together with investigators from the Airport Police Satreskrim thwarted the departure of 38 prospective migrant workers. They were secured in the Gate 5 area of International departure Terminal 3 Soekarno Hatta Airport.

Based on this result, the police arrested three male suspects with the initials MAB (49), ABM (46), a resident of East Jakarta and a woman with the initials RC (43), a resident of Lebak, Banten.