Sukabumi, W Java (ANTARA) - The Sukabumi police in West Java Province apprehended four women for their alleged involvement in human trafficking cases, a police officer stated.

The suspects were identified by their initials as Dl (55), AT (42), Ni (39), and El (43), Sukabumi Police Chief Adjunct Sen. Coms. Maruly Pardede remarked.

Speaking to journalists here, Monday (July 17), Pardede said Dl and AT had allegedly recruited AN (27) in Halimun Village of Warungkiara Sub-district, Sukabumi District, in November 2022 to be sent to Dubai.

The suspects told AN that she would receive a good salary in Dubai. However, instead of being employed with a good salary in the United Arab Emirates, AN was sent to Syria, he revealed.

During her stay in Syria, AN said she had never received her salaries, Pardede said, adding that due to this human trafficking case, Dl and AT had been apprehended based on a report filed on June 27, 2023.

Meanwhile, Ni and El were arrested after the Sukabumi police received a report filed on July 3, 2023.

They had allegedly recruited Sr (33) and Er (41), the residents of Gobang Hamlet of Pasirsuren Village of Pelabuhanratu Sub-district that were then employed in Malaysia in November 2022, he stated.

According to Pardede, in their efforts to convince their recruitees to be willing to work in Malaysia, Ni and El told Sr and Er that they would receive a wage of Rp5 million (around US$333) per month and a bonus of Rp5 million.

While working in Malaysia, Sr said she often experienced acts of violence from her recruitment agency, while the bonus that Sr and Er had promised her was regarded as her debt to Ni and El, Pardede stated.

Instead of being paid while working in Malaysia, Er said she did not receive her wage at all, he noted, adding that the four suspects could be sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined Rp600 million (near US$40 thousand) if the Sukabumi district court found them guilty.

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Translator: Aditia AR, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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