The repatriation was conducted gradually in four wavesJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) confirmed that 241 Indonesian migrant workers, suspected of having fallen victims to a scam in Cambodia, were repatriated to the country.
A total of 241 Indonesians suspected to have fallen victim to human trafficking related to an online scam in Cambodia were repatriated to Indonesia, BP2MI's Head, Benny Rhamdani, noted in a press conference here on Tuesday.
"The repatriation was conducted gradually in four waves," he explained.
A total of 12 Indonesian migrant workers had returned from Cambodia on August 5, 2022, under the first wave of repatriation. Some 13 people were repatriated in the second wave on August 6, 2022.
Meanwhile, 14 people were repatriated in the third wave on August 8, while 202 people were repatriated in the fourth wave on August 22, 2022.
Most of them, totaling 129 people, came from North Sumatra; followed by 24 people from West Java; 14 from East Java; 13 from Central Java; 11 from Jakarta; and 10 from West Kalimantan.
Moreover, nine people were from Bali and Riau Islands; five from Riau and Banten; three from West Sumatra; two from Lampung and South Sulawesi; and one each from West Nusa Tenggara, Bangka Belitung, and South Sumatra.
Moreover, the place of origin of two people had yet to be identified.
Indonesians repatriated in the first to the third wave underwent the police's examination, and their repatriation was facilitated by BP2MI in coordination with the Social Affairs Ministry and local governments.
Rhamdani spoke of having received information from the Foreign Affairs Ministry on August 12, 2022, concerning the departure of 645 Indonesians to Cambodia through the Kuala Namu Airport in North Sumatra and Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Banten.
The agency collaborated with the North Sumatra Regional Police and North Sumatra Immigration and Manpower Office and managed to prevent the departure of 215 Indonesians through Kuala Namu.
Five people were named suspects, while 210 Indonesian migrant workers returned to their respective regions.
On the occasion, he expressed gratitude to stakeholders for their role in handling the repatriation of these Indonesians from Cambodia.
"Collaboration and synergy between BP2MI and these parties will continued to be bolstered to demonstrate that the state is present," he remarked.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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