inp.polri.go.id - Kupang. The Investigators of Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling Unit of East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police arrested a suspect with the initials of VN (29) allegedly trafficking Indonesians to Taiwan.

VN was arrested by police in Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar, Bali, when he was about to send his two victims, SSA (24) and AB (20) to Taiwan.

Head of East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Public Relations Division, Senior Superintendent Ariasandy confirms the arrest by his unit. He reveals that VN recruits his victims through a CUSIA EDUCATION CENTER WhatsApp group. From there, he directs his two victims from Kupang to fly to Bali with Lion Air on November 12th, 2024.

"The victim was sent non-procedurally with the alibi of internship, but without any preparation such as language training, cultural introduction, and without a work contract or adequate health and housing guarantees in Taiwan," said Ariasandy on Wednesday (11/13/2024).

The suspect VN planned for the victim to work as a kitchen staff at a hotel in Taiwan with a salary of around IDR 8 million per month, but was cut by IDR 5 million every month for eight months. This deduction was claimed as a replacement cost for departure, accommodation, and the suspect's personal benefit.

In the arrest, police also secured a number of pieces of evidence, including two Lion Air Kupang-Denpasar tickets in the names of SSA and AB, two Lion Air Denpasar-Taiwan tickets, the passports of both victims, one cellphone belonging to the suspect VN, a BCA bank token, and screenshots of WhatsApp conversations between the victim SSA and the suspect VN.

"The suspect's actions violate Article 4, Article 10, and Article 11 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of TPPO, as well as Article 81 of Law Number 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers." concluded Ariasandy.

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