Extortion suspects arrested

SEMARANG, Central Java: The Central Java Provincial Police arrested on Wednesday three local men for in an alleged extortion scam that involved a group of recently-returned laborers from Saudi Arabia.

Sr. Comr. Fakhrizal, chief detective of the provincial Police, said the three suspects identified only as PT, 50, PA, 32, and IR, 22, were arrested after attempting to extort nine female workers in a house in Ungaran, some 20 kilometers south of the city.

He said the nine workers were brought in to the house upon their arrival from the airport and were forced to pay between Rp 200,000 and Rp 300,000 for so-called "security services."

In addition to the nine workers, there were also 18 others who were waiting outside the house and would later be called in to pay similar amounts. All of the workers were later allowed to continue their trip to their home villages in West Nusa Tenggara, he added.

Fakhrizal said the provincial Police would try to cooperate with the Jakarta Police, as well as the East Java and West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Police to investigate the well-organized syndicate of overseas labor extortion.

He also asked the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration Ministry to take harsh measures against travel agencies apparently appointed by, and working in league with, the extortionists to transport workers from Jakarta to their home villages via Semarang where the suspects operate. -- Antara