Singkawang Police busted up an alleged human trafficking operation in Singkawang, West Kalimantan on Friday.

According to Singkawang Police chief Comm. Sr. Raymond Masengi, the victims were three women who live in Mayasofa district. The police said they believe the suspect, identified as NK, was planning to take them to China to marry them off to Chinese men.

Reports indicated that such practices usually ended up with the husbands abusing the women.

Read also: Marriage promises trap women in trafficking

Raymond explained that the police foiled the suspected operation after receiving information from locals regarding a human trafficking attempt. 

“After receiving the information, we stopped the suspect’s car in the Sakok area, which is located in the South Singkawang district,” Raymond said as quoted by kompas.com on Friday. At the time, NK was driving a car and had three women as passengers.

The officers also confiscated several pieces of evidence, such as three mobile phones, a bundle of identity cards, passports, one black Agya car and a one-way plane ticket for a flight from Pontianak to Jakarta.

The suspect is to be charged under Article 2 and Article 10 of Law No. 21/2007 on human trafficking. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of at least Rp 20 million (US$1,414) if convicted. 

“We are still in the middle of an investigation to solve the case,” Raymond said. (dpk)