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Police foil attempt to send 7 illegal migrant workers
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Rescued: The seven female illegal migrant workers from West Nusa Tenggara who were rescued from an alleged human trafficking attempt during an operation on March 29. (Courtesy of the West Nusa Tenggara Police/File)
T
he West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police have thwarted an attempt to send off seven illegal Indonesian female migrant workers via Lombok International Airport that allegedly involved Immigration Office personnel and security officers at the airport.
“Initially, they were to be dispatched as Indonesian migrant workers to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, but it was later found they didn’t have proper documents. The attempt was successfully foiled at the airport. There are indications that this was a case of attempted human trafficking,” NTB Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Tribudi Pangastuti told The Jakarta Post in Mataram on Monday.
Tribudi said a team from the Central Lombok Police’s criminal investigation unit moved to prevent the women leaving on March 29 after they received a public report.
The seven women are all from NTB and aged between 25 and 35 years.
“They were about to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. When questioned by Central Lombok Police officers, they said they were to be sent to Abu Dhabi to work in that country. They were later taken into custody because it was suspected they were victims of human trafficking,” said Tribudi.
After preventing their departure, she further said, the police had expanded their investigation and now suspected the involvement of Ram, 29, a non-permanent immigration worker; LT, 42, an airport security officer; and a porter identified only as Jon, 49.
“Two of them have been arrested and we are still pursuing LT, who remains at large,” said Tribudi. (ebf)
