Dumai Police Chief Senior Commissioner Angga F. Herlambang said the interception took place on Tuesday night, Jan. 13, following a tip-off from residents who reported suspicious migrant transport activity.
Acting on the information, officers launched an intensive field investigation to monitor the movement of vehicles suspected of carrying undocumented migrant workers toward illegal exit points.
“The first interception occurred on Lubuk Gaung Road in Sungai Sembilan district,” Angga said, adding that officers stopped a minibus driven by a man identified as JS.
During a search, police found eight women inside the vehicle who were allegedly preparing to leave Indonesia illegally without official documents, Angga said.
Police later stopped a second minibus driven by AP, discovering 17 additional undocumented migrant workers, consisting of 15 men and two women, who also lacked legal travel permits.
The operation continued with the interception of a third vehicle driven by MT, who was believed to be overseeing the smuggling operation and transporting one additional migrant worker.
“As a result, a total of 26 victims were rescued,” Angga said, referring to the undocumented workers prevented from leaving the country.
Preliminary investigations showed the migrants came from several provinces, including Aceh, Bengkulu, and North Sumatra, highlighting the cross-regional nature of the illegal recruitment network.
To secure passage, the workers were required to pay agent fees ranging from 4.8 million rupiah to 5.7 million rupiah per person, police said.
The suspects acting as drivers admitted receiving varying payments for each trip, depending on their roles in the operation.
JS was paid 750,000 rupiah, AP received 600,000 rupiah, while MT, who also served as a coordinator, was paid 200,000 rupiah by the organizer, Angga said.
The suspects were charged under Articles 81 and 83 of Indonesia’s 2017 Law on the Protection of Migrant Workers, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Police have coordinated with the Migrant Worker Protection Agency and transferred the case to Dumai police investigators for further legal proceedings, Angga added.
Related news: Soetta Airport foils 137 illegal migrant worker departures
Related news: Indonesian ministries partner to enhance migrant worker quality
Related news: Ministry explores skilled worker placement with IM Japan
Translator: Bayu AA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
