The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, Commissioner Yandri Mono, on Wednesday, explained the operation began with the arrest of two suspects who worked as recruiters and accompanied the illegal migrant workers as they prepared to depart for Cambodia.
"The two suspects accompanied the undocumented migrant workers throughout their departure process," Mono said.
The investigation then found 10 migrant workers, with three of whom had previously worked in Cambodia as online gambling administrators. Therefore, one of them was named a suspect for inviting another victim to join him to work in Cambodia as an online gambling administrator.
Mono informed that these migrant workers were recruited through social media with alluring salaries of Rp10-20 million (US$591-1,182) per month.
The recruitment method was carried out through a Facebook group, where the victims did not know each other. After the victims sent messages in response to the Facebook advertisement, the recruiter collected data and promised them jobs as online gambling admins in Cambodia with high salaries, he continued.
"Victims were then asked to send documents for passport applications. Interestingly, the victims were not asked to pay any fees, but instead received assistance, including passport issuance," he addressed.
Meanwhile, Head of Unit I Jatanras Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, Second Inspector Herman Slamet, explained the case was detected during officers' patrol at Terminal 2 International Departures on August 26.
At that time, officers found 10 young men, aged between 23 and 30, suspected of being prospective undocumented migrant workers.
"Their flight is Viet Jet Air flight VJ 854 on the Jakarta-Ho Chi Minh route, with Cambodia as their final destination, to work as online gambling admins," Slamet noted.
The investigation found three of the victims had previously worked in Cambodia and were returning from leave.
"They invited other victims to join them," he continued.
Slamet said the suspects were charged with Law Number 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of Human Trafficking (TPPO), with a maximum of 15 years imprisonment.
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Translator: Azmi Syamsul, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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