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ast Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police have arrested two residents of West Wewewa, Southwest Sumba regency, for their alleged involvement in human trafficking.

The two suspects, identified only as SL, 53, and ETK, 25, were arrested while they were allegedly about to send three people, namely Yohana Bulu, Omiana Bili and Yumina Lendi, to work in Malaysia without proper documents.

“Based on the preliminary examination, there is enough evidence that SL and ETK committed human trafficking,” NTT Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Jules Abast told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The two suspects are currently being detained at the headquarters of the West Sumba Police.

Jules claimed the perpetrators had lured the victims in by promising jobs overseas with big salaries. They then allegedly took them to Medan, North Sumatra, without proper documents and promised that they would get the documents after arriving in Medan.

He said the suspects would be charged with violating articles 102 (1) and 103 of Law No. 39/2004 on manpower and articles 10 and 11 of Law No. 21/2007 on human trafficking.

The three victims, he added, had been sent back to their respective villages by the Southwest Sumba Social Affairs Agency after being questioned by the NTT Police’s anti human trafficking taskforce.

“Investigators are currently collecting supporting evidence to uncover the trafficking network. They are seeking out victims sent abroad previously or presently working in Malaysia now,” he said.

Separately, NTT People Advocacy and Initiative Development (PIAR) advocacy coordinator Paul Sinlaeloe said uncovering human trafficking cases required involvement from all parties, including local administrations and the community.

Such involvement, he said, could be given by providing information or reporting people going in and out of villages seeking migrant workers.

“Don’t close your eyes to the deeds of such irresponsible individuals,” he said. According to Paul, some of the victims are friends or relatives of the perpetrators.

Paul said to ensnare perpetrators was a difficult thing to do. It required lawsuits and evidence and both could not just appear out of the blue.

“The victims are not necessarily willing to report the case because of feelings of shame, or because they are threatened by their own family. Furthermore, investigations are not always successful because human trafficking syndicates in NTT work very neatly,” Paul said.