Indonesia thwarts human trafficking attempt
JAKARTA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's security authorities have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 98 Indonesian citizens to several destinations, including countries currently embroiled in conflict and known as hubs for global scamming operations.
Working in coordination with immigration officials, the National Police launched patrols earlier this month at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten province. Their efforts successfully prevented 98 individuals, believed to be victims of human trafficking, from being sent abroad.
"This prevention effort is carried out to ensure Indonesian citizens do not fall victim to conflicts, such as those currently unfolding in the Middle East," said Amingga Primastito, an officer from the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department, in a statement on Thursday.
Primastito said that many of the victims had been recruited by people they knew personally, including neighbors or relatives, forming a covert and informal recruitment network.
The victims will undergo a formal assessment process aimed at identifying the broader recruitment network. Following this, they will be handed over to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency for counseling and education on safe migration practices.
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