Illustration. (tribunnews.com)

The North Sumatra Police has arrested two suspected pimps in the provincial capital of Medan. The two allegedly ran prostitution rings and were involved in an international human trafficking syndicate.

North Sumatra Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Helfi Assegaf said on Tuesday that the suspects '€“ M Azhar Purba, 21, and Abdul Aziz, 37 '€“ ran their businesses by offering sex workers to customers via Blackberry Messenger (BBM).

According to Helfi, the the two suspects have links with an international human prostitution syndicate whose operation could be categorized as human trafficking.

The two are accused of violating article 2 and 196 of the Criminal Code, and Law No. 21/2007 on human trafficking with a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

The case was uncovered after the police received information from men who were contacted by Azhar. The North Sumatra Police'€™s women and children division followed up the information by going undercover and acted as potential customers to contact the suspects.

Azhar, in turn, offered pictures of four women, identified with the initials JU, SHP, SM and PS. The women, who are aged between 19 and 25 and are students at a university in Medan, are now under the protection of the police.

Both suspects were arrested at a house on Jl. Multatuli, Medan where they had agreed to meet to collect a payment of Rp 2 million (US$146). '€œThe amount agreed on for the services provided by each woman was Rp 500,000,'€ said Helfi on Tuesday as quoted by Kompas.com.

Apart from arresting the two, police have also confiscated 12 mobile phones and one car as evidence in the ongoing investigation. (liz/bbn)(+)

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