"The four suspects recruited two victims identified by the initials DYM, 20, and an underage victim ESL, 16," head of the trafficking unit of the East Nusa Tenggara Police Adjunct Commissioner Tatang P. Panjaitan stated.
The four suspects are identified as AS aged 40, KT, 47; FST, 41; and S, 44.
Panjaitan revealed that the victims resided in Alak Sub-district in Kupang and were already sent to Malaysia as illegal workers.
The police have conducted investigation into the case after receiving information from the victims' parents.
On the basis of its preliminary investigation, the police arrested three suspects: AS, KT, and FST.
"As we traced the suspects' bank account, we found one more suspect identified as S in Batam, who served as a donor, and we have arrested him with the assistance of the Riau Islands Police," he remarked.
Suspect S transferred Rp24 million along with Rp2 million as operational cost to his network in East Nusa Tenggara for the deployment of the victims.
On their arrival in Batam, he noted that the victims were locked up, while the suspects prepared fake documents, including birth certificate, family card, and identity card, to obtain passports prior to being sent to Malaysia.
Panjaitan pointed out that along with the four suspects, the police had also chased two other suspected recruiters, identified as YB and AB, who have been placed on the list of wanted persons.
The police have seized some pieces of evidence, including cellular phones, bank accounts, and fake documents.
The suspects will be charged with articles 2, 6, and 10 of Law No. 21 of 2007 on human trafficking, with maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.
Translator: Aloysius Lewokeda, Sri Haryati
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
