T

he police have released 18 people who were arrested for the alleged extortion of migrant workers upon their arrival at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Tangerang.

The suspects, including two police officers and a soldier, were netted when the police, in cooperation with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Presidential Working Unit for Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4) and state-run airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II launched a raid at the airport'€™s special lounge for migrant workers last Friday.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said they were released due to a '€œlack of evidence'€.

'€œI was informed that after investigations, there was not enough evidence to detain them and prosecute them. They were released last Sunday,'€ Rikwanto told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added that 15 suspects, most of whom were believed to be hoodlums, were released after they made a written promise to '€œnever repeat their actions'€, while the three officers concerned were released but returned to their units for further questioning.

Rikwanto urged all migrant workers who were extorted by thugs and officers at the airport to report to the police.

'€œAnyone facing extortion from thugs or officers at the airport must file a report with the police so we can investigate and resolve their case,'€ he said.

Meanwhile, Migrant Care executive director Anis Hidayah said she disagreed with the police'€™s decision to release the thugs and officers.

Migrant Care is an NGO providing legal advocacy for troubled Indonesian migrant workers both at home and abroad.

'€œThe police said they were released due to a lack of evidence? That is not a relevant reason. It'€™s difficult to prove extortion,'€ Anis told the Post on Thursday.

She said the 18 people were '€œkey figures'€ to reveal the officials and institutions involved in the extortion practice, which she said had been happening for decades.

'€œI'€™m sure there are BNP2TKI [Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers], police, TNI [Indonesian Military] and Angkasa Pura officers involved in this organized crime,'€ Anis said.

She added that her organization had received hundreds of reports from migrant workers of extortion. She said she helped the workers report the incidents to the police and the BNP2TKI, but the cases have never been followed up.

Anis said she was certain the government was aware of the extortion of migrant workers, but ignored it because officials from many institutions were involved.

'€œThe fact that the 18 were released and promised to never repeat their actions is ridiculous. They'€™re not kids, they'€™re adults. They should be convicted,'€ Anis said.

KPK deputy head Bambang Widjojanto explained that although the 18 people were not arrested, the KPK had released pictures of them to the public.

'€œWe have released the pictures so the public know their faces,'€ Bambang said recently as quoted by
kompas.com.

He further said that the extortion of migrant workers could reach Rp 2.5 million (US$212) per person, with roughly 360,000 migrant workers departing each year.

'€œSo these people can make roughly Rp 325 billion per year by extorting migrant workers,'€ he said.

Aside from TNI and police officers, the KPK found there were indications of involvement from BNP2TKI officers and even airport porters and cleaning workers. (dwa)