Banten Police Dismantle Online Prostitution Network in Serang, Couple Arrested
The Sub-Directorate IV for Combating Human Trafficking within the Criminal Investigation Directorate of Banten Provincial Police has uncovered a human trafficking and prostitution operation in Serang Regency, Banten. A married couple operating a boarding house in Kramatwatu, Serang Regency, has been arrested for managing online prostitution through the MiChat application.
According to Assistant Commissioner Irene Missy, Head of Sub-Directorate IV for Combating Human Trafficking at Banten Police, officers received community reports of suspicious activity at a boarding house called Kost Inang. Police raided the facility, managed by a man with the initials AB (27) and a woman with the initials FT (26), on Monday, 16 February at 01:00 WIB.
At the boarding house, police discovered recruitment, harbouring, and advertisement activities involving several women to serve clients. Assistant Commissioner Irene stated that the perpetrators allegedly recruited and harboured victims to work as commercial sex workers.
“The method used by the perpetrators was to recruit, harbour, and offer victims through the MiChat application to customers. According to investigation findings, the victims were promised monthly salaries ranging from 9 million to 10 million rupiah,” Irene told reporters on Friday, 27 February 2026.
Police subsequently apprehended AB and FT as suspects. Additionally, officers identified three women as victims who were recruited and placed at the location.
In this operation, police secured several pieces of evidence including one mobile phone belonging to the perpetrators, cash totalling 9,850,000 rupiah, six boxes of contraceptives, and a tube of lubricant. Police also secured screenshots of conversations related to the criminal activity.
Assistant Commissioner Irene stated that the police are continuing intensive interrogation of both perpetrators and victims. Officers will investigate the broader network and the possibility of additional victims.
“At present, the perpetrators and victims are undergoing interrogation at Unit II of Sub-Directorate IV for Combating Human Trafficking at Banten Police. We will continue our investigation to uncover the possibility of other networks and to ensure the protection of victims,” she said.
Banten Police have appealed to the public to actively report any suspected human trafficking or other forms of exploitation. “We urge the community to promptly report to police if they are aware of human trafficking practices. Community participation is extremely important in efforts to prevent and eradicate human trafficking,” she added.