Police Arrest 9 Nunukan-Malaysia TIP Network

Head of TPPO Task Force Inspector General Asep Edi Suheri at Police Headquarters (Rizky AP/VOI)

JAKARTA - The National Police's Trafficking Crime Task Force (TPPO) arrested 8 suspects who would smuggle 123 people into illegal Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) in Malaysia. They are part of the TIP network.

"The National Police's TIP Task Force together with the North Kalimantan Regional Police and the Nunukan Police have succeeded in uncovering 9 groups of TIP networks, issued 9 police reports, and named 8 suspects," said Head of the TIP Task Force, Inspector General Asep Edi Suheri in his statement, Friday, June 9.

The results of the interim examination showed that the suspects were in the Nunukan network, North Kalimantan. They are known to use the mode of sea and small ports in the hope of avoiding monitoring by officers.

"The suspects used 2 modes, namely sending migrant workers through official channels and unofficial routes (rat routes)," he said.

Meanwhile, the results of the data collection showed that the 123 people who would be used as illegal PMIs came from several regions in Indonesia. In fact, some of them are children.

"Successfully saving 123 victims consisting of 74 men, 29 women, and 20 children from South Sulawesi, NTT, and East Java," said Asep.

In addition to securing 8 suspects, a number of evidences were also secured, such as 32 cellphones, 3 family cards, 54 ID cards, and 45 Passports.

In this case, the suspects are subject to Article 4 jucto Article 10 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of the Crime of Trafficking in Subsidiaries Article 81 in conjunction with Article 69 of Law No. 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers with a penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of IDR 600 million.