Speaking on Friday, Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, Galih Priya Kartika Perdhana, said that this preventive strengthening is being carried out through a series of outreach programs in immigration-assisted villages and through strict supervision at the airport.
“This program places immigration officers as drivers of public education to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking and illegal migrant smuggling,” Perdhana said.
He noted that placing immigration officers in villages is a relatively new approach. These officers act as the first line of defense by providing outreach and education to local communities about the risks and signs of trafficking and smuggling.
In addition, a second level of screening is carried out during the passport application process, particularly during the interview stage. Immigration officers assess the applicant’s purpose and intent for travel, a crucial step that enables the early identification of potential victims.
Perdhana revealed that from January to September 2023, the office successfully prevented the departure of 1,524 individuals who were suspected of being potential victims of human trafficking or smuggling.
In a further measure of commitment, the Immigration Office has implemented a third layer of filtering at the airport itself.
Even with the auto-gate system in place, officers continue to conduct manual profiling, closely observing gestures, clothing, and body language for any suspicious signs.
To further strengthen surveillance, officers are now equipped with body cameras, which function as mobile passenger analysis tools, recording inspection processes while also assisting in profiling and behavior analysis of passengers.
“Our hope going forward is to achieve system integration for subjects of interest. If there is data from the Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP3MI), the Ministry of Manpower, or the police regarding potential victims about to depart, our system could automatically detect and block their departure,” Perdhana stated.
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Translator: Azmi Syamsul, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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