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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
83 Indonesians fall victim to human trafficking to European countries
Two suspects allegedly involved in a human trafficking ring (second left and second right, front row) are displayed on Thursday while the Central Java Police's General Crimes Directorate chief Sr. Comr. Dwi Subagio (left) and chief spokesman Sr. Comr. Artanto (centre) hold envelopes of evidence in Semarang, Central Java. - Photo: Antara JAKARTA: The Central Java Police have exposed a human trafficking ring accused of deceiving Indonesian job seekers and sending them to European countries without proper documentation. Detectives from the Central Java Police's General Crimes Directorate arrested two people identified as KU and NU, from Tegal and Brebes, as suspects. The two suspects were arrested after allegedly swindling 83 people by promising to send the victims to work abroad legally, causing a loss of around Rp 5.2 billion (US$316,700), said General Crimes Directorate chief Sr. Comr. Dwi Subagio. Dwi said the arrests were made after two victims, identified as AM and AKB, filed police reports. 'The modus operandi was promising that the victims would work as ship crew or restaurant servers in Spain with a salary between €1,200 [US$1,383] and €1,500 per month,' Dwi said during a case expose at the Central Java Police headquarters on Thursday (June 19), as quoted by 'The victims are mostly from various regions in Central Java and were sent to several countries, such as Spain, Portugal, Greece and Poland.' The suspects also promised that they would manage and apply for the workers' residence permits in the countries of destination. However, the victims were forced to work in improper conditions and without legal documents, Dwi said. The Central Java Police have coordinated with the National Police's International Relations Division to track the whereabouts of other workers who have been sent abroad, Antara news agency reported. One of the victims said they had to work 24 hours per day for five consecutive days with a salary much lower than promised. Restaurant owners also told the workers to hide if there was a police raid, the victim added. Feeling unsafe and suffering from improper working conditions, the victims finally decided to return to Indonesia with their own money. As soon as they arrived in Indonesia, they filed police reports. For their actions, KU and NU face charges based on Articles 68, 69, 81 and 83 of Law No. 18/2017 on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, as well as Article 4 of Law No. 21/2007 on Human Trafficking. The offences are punishable with prison terms from three to 15 years with a fine of up to Rp 5 billion. Recently, many Indonesian job seekers have fallen victim to bogus recruiters who promise good paying jobs abroad as looking for a job in Indonesia is becoming increasingly difficult. Some were tricked into working for online gambling syndicates, both legal and illegal, or forced to work in online scam call centres. The Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia recorded that there were some 1,300 cases involving Indonesians in the first three months of 2025, most of which involved exploitation, violence and human trafficking. The majority of the workers were told they would work in hotels in Thailand but were instead sent to Cambodia for various illegal jobs, reported. Similar schemes were also used for syndicates operating in Myanmar. The government repatriated about 400 Indonesians from Myanmar in March who had been working as operators in a fraud call center managed by a Vietnamese syndicate. The situation has led the government to ban Indonesians from working in Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Central Java Police arrest hundreds in street crime crackdown
Suspected street criminals sit before a police officer at the Central Java Police headquarters on May 3. - JP JAKARTA: The Central Java Police have arrested nearly a thousand suspects in a sweeping crackdown on street crime, amid nationwide effort to combat racketeering and extortion that business leaders warn are undermining Indonesia's economic climate. Central Java Police Deputy Chief Brig Gen Usman Latief said authorities arrested 888 men and 28 women during a province-wide operation from May 12 to 31, targeting gangs, rogue mass organisations and street crime. 'They were linked to 711 cases, including vandalism, fraud, extortion and street brawls,' he said on Tuesday. 'We are continuing investigations into 276 of those cases, and the suspects will remain in custody pending legal proceedings. The rest of the suspects will not face prosecution and will instead undergo a rehabilitation programme before being released.' Among those arrested in the province-wide operation was the head of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) youth organisation in Blora Regency, identified only as MJ. He was detained for allegedly defrauding a local business owner. MJ and an accomplice allegedly posed as representatives of a company that claimed it could supply discounted diesel fuel. In reality, the company had already shut down. The victim reportedly paid Rp 333 million for the fuel. The suspects have now been charged under Articles 378 and 372 of the Criminal Code for fraud and embezzlement. If found guilty, they each face up to four years in prison. Central Java Police also arrested four members of the mass organization GRIB Jaya for allegedly damaging property belonging to the state-owned railway company, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI). In December, state-owned railway company PT KAI fenced off an unused plot of land in Semarang to prevent squatting. However, four members of the GRIB Jaya organization allegedly tore down the fence and stole the materials. The suspects have been charged under Articles 170 and 363 of the Criminal Code for vandalism and theft which carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. Authorities also detained four individuals who posed as journalists in an attempt to extort public figures and community leaders. The suspects allegedly stalked their victims and threatened to expose personal secrets or scandals in the media unless they were paid millions of rupiah. They reportedly carried press IDs from media outlets that are not registered with the Press Council. Police say that they have been operating since 2020 and are linked to a larger group of around 175 people involved in similar blackmail schemes. Central Java Police spokesperson Usman stated that out of the 916 suspects arrested in May, 33 were members of mass organizations, including Pemuda Pancasila, Grib Jaya, PSHT, LSM GMBI and Pagar Nusa. "This crackdown is part of our commitment to ensuring that investors feel safe investing in Central Java. Although the operation has concluded, we will continue surveillance and prevention efforts against street crime," he said, as quoted by According to the Indonesian Industrial Estates Association (HKI), rampant extortion by rogue mass organisations and gangs has cost industry players operating in Indonesia hundreds of trillions of rupiah. In response to growing concerns over extortion, the National Police launched a nationwide operation on May 1 targeting rogue mass organisations and criminal activity on the streets. The government also established an anti-extortion task force and enlisted support from the military to help address the issue. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Straits Times
Fake journalists, mass organisation members arrested in Indonesia crackdown
SEMARANG, Indonesia - The Central Java Police have arrested dozens of suspects allegedly involved in extortion and fraud, including members of rogue mass organisations and individuals posing as journalists, as part of a nationwide crackdown on gangs and street crime. Central Java Police Director of the General Crime Directorate, Sr. Comr. Dwi Subagio, said authorities had arrested the head of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) youth organization in Blora, identified only as MJ, for allegedly defrauding a local business owner. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
