In brief
Indonesia’s National Police announced 13 suspects were identified in a human trafficking scheme that lured victims with promises of lucrative overseas jobs and then forced them into mercenary contracts in Russia. The operation used social media, job portals and messaging apps to target 58 victims. Authorities urge caution of suspicious overseas job offers.
Indonesia’s National Police have announced that 13 individuals have been identified as suspects in a human trafficking operation that lured victims with promises of employment as Russian mercenaries, law enforcement officials said on Monday in Jakarta.
The 13 suspects, identified from five police reports, include two Russian citizens and one Ukrainian citizen, according to Brigadier General Nurul Azizah of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency. The criminal enterprise has left 58 victims, with the victims spread across several police cases: five in Bareskrim Polri, 12 each in the West Jakarta and Jakarta Metro Police cases, seven in other Bareskrim Polri cases, and 22 in the Bogor Police and West Java Regional Police cases.
Suspects used social media, job portals and messaging apps to lure victims, promising a signing bonus of up to US$35,000 and a monthly salary of around US$3,000 for roles in logistics, border security and defense construction. After completing the recruitment process, the victims were directed to sign mercenary contracts, undergo training and were potentially dispatched to conflict zones in Russia, leaving them without legal protection, clear contracts or safety guarantees.
The suspects have been charged under Article 4 in conjunction with Article 10 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of Human Trafficking and Article 81 of Law Number 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers.
Brigadier General Nurul Azizah urged the public to be cautious of suspicious overseas job offers and report them to law enforcement. “We stand with zero tolerance for exploitation or human trafficking, regardless of the perpetrator and their background,” she emphasized.
