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Police rescue six human trafficking victims in Batam
A joint team from the Barelang Police and the Surabaya Police has managed to rescue six women, who are believed to be victims of human trafficking in the Baloi area of Batam, Riau Islands
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joint team from the Barelang Police and the Surabaya Police has managed to rescue six women, who are believed to be victims of human trafficking in the Baloi area of Batam, Riau Islands.
"All of them have been forced to work as prostitutes in Batam. Two them, identified as Sn and Dw, are still underaged," chief of the Barelang Police Sr. Comr. Asep Syarifudin stated in Batam on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.
According to Asep, the underaged victims had been sent back to their hometown in East Java on Thursday afternoon.
The release of the victims was made possible after another victim, named Yn, 17, fled a house in the Baloi area and reported the case to security officers several days ago.
"Yn is from Surabaya and upon returning to her hometown, she informed the local police about the human trafficking practice. The Surabaya Police later coordinated with the Barelang Police to carry out a raid on the house," Asep said.
Yn's report disclosed that a man, identified as Al, who has been named a suspect by the police, persuaded Yn to go to Batam to work as a housemaid.
However, after arriving in Batam, Yn was introduced to Dw and three other women from Medan, North Sumatra. Instead of working as a maid as promised by Al, who still on the run, Yn and the others were forced to work as prostitutes.
"We will further investigate the case as there might be other victims of Al," Asep revealed. (hhr)
