Bareskrim Dismantles Human Trafficking Ring Using 'Mail-Order Bride' Scheme to China, Two Named Suspects

The Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian National Police has dismantled a transnational human trafficking syndicate operating through a ‘mail-order bride’ scheme. Two people have been named as suspects for recruiting Indonesian women to marry Chinese nationals.

Director of Crimes against Women and Children and Human Trafficking at Bareskrim, Brigadier General Nurul Azizah, explained that the investigation began with a report from a victim identified as ULS in January 2025. Police subsequently arrested two suspects with the initials CA (25) and FU (59).

‘Suspect CA is a 25-year-old woman who acted as the victim recruiter, introduced the victim to a prospective Chinese husband, assisted in document forgery, and arranged the victim’s departure documents to China, earning a profit of Rp 20 million,’ Nurul said at a press conference at Bareskrim headquarters in South Jakarta on Monday (19/8/2026).

Meanwhile, suspect FU acted as a Mandarin translator and communication liaison between the victim and the Chinese national.

‘Suspect FU, a 59-year-old man, acted as a Mandarin translator as well as connecting the prospective husband with the victim, earning a profit of Rp 5 million,’ she continued.

Nurul revealed that the perpetrators enticed the victim with promises of a decent life abroad. The victim was promised Rp 25 million in cash and a monthly allowance of Rp 10 million.

‘The modus operandi was to offer the victim a picture of a better life if she agreed to marry the Chinese national,’ she said.

‘The victim was also promised Rp 25 million after the wedding and Rp 10 million every month while in China,’ Nurul added.

Nurul said the victim did receive the initial Rp 25 million. However, the promised monthly payments were never given.

Upon arriving in China, instead of being treated as a privileged wife, the victim experienced violence and was forced to work as a domestic helper for her husband’s extended family.

‘After arriving in China, the victim suffered physical abuse from her husband. The victim also had to perform domestic work in a household inhabited by more than 10 members of her husband’s family,’ Nurul added.

In this case, Bareskrim seized evidence including eight original passports, eight photocopies of Indonesian identity cards belonging to women allegedly about to be sent abroad, mobile phones, ATM cards, bank books, and a forged marriage record book.

Investigators have now handed over the suspects and evidence to the Public Prosecutor after the case file was declared complete (P21).

The suspects face charges under Article 4 in conjunction with Article 10 of Law Number 21 of 2007 on the Eradication of Human Trafficking in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. Both face a minimum prison sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years, as well as a maximum fine of Rp 600 million.