inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Riau Islands Regional Police arrested two suspects for illegally sending Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) to Malaysia via a port in Batam City.
The Director of the Riau Islands Regional Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Senior Superintendent Ronni Bonic, said the perpetrators had fled and were arrested in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.
"Our team pursued them all the way to Lembar Port, West Lombok Regency," he said on Tuesday (2/3/2026).
The suspects, identified as I and YK, were arrested after investigators received information regarding prospective Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) who were about to depart from Batam Center International Ferry Port.
The team then conducted an investigation and successfully prevented two women, identified as NA and J, suspected of being prospective Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from departing illegally,
"According to their confessions, their departure was arranged by these two perpetrators (I and YK)," said Ronni
He explained that the suspects' modus operandi was to send prospective Indonesian migrant workers illegally to work as domestic workers in Malaysia, with their travel expenses covered by their sponsors.
"They're traveling with sponsors, and all travel expenses will be reimbursed through salary deductions after they work abroad," said Ronni.
The perpetrators were detained at the West Lombok before being taken to the Riau Islands Regional Police for further legal proceedings.
During this operation, investigators confiscated evidence in the form of two cell phones, two passports, international ferry tickets from Batam to Malaysia, ship and plane boarding passes, and ATM cards used to process the departures of the prospective illegal migrant workers.
Based on this evidence, the perpetrator was named a suspect for crimes under Articles 4 and 10 of Law Number 21/2007 concerning the Eradication of Human Trafficking and/or Article 81 in conjunction with Article 69 or Article 83 in conjunction with Article 68 of Law Number 18/2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers.
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