LPSK Reaches Out to Child Trafficking Case in Tamansari, West Jakarta
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) took proactive steps by reaching out to a suspected child trafficking case involving toddlers aged 3 and 5 years old, as well as two infants aged 5–6 months in Tamansari, West Jakarta.
LPSK Vice Chairman Antonius P. S. Wibowo said that since February 11, the agency has contacted the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) and the West Jakarta Metro Police to coordinate efforts in ensuring the fulfillment of victims’ rights.
“LPSK has proactively communicated and coordinated with the police to ensure the victims receive comprehensive protection,” Antonius said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday.
Additionally, LPSK has been in communication with one of the victims’ caretakers—the victim’s aunt—and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI).
According to Antonius, several child victims have been secured and placed in an orphanage for temporary care and rehabilitation services. Meanwhile, police have detained ten adults suspected of involvement in the child trafficking network, and legal proceedings against the perpetrators are underway.
Law No. 21 of 2007 on the Eradication of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) explicitly stipulates that trafficking in persons, including women and children, is contrary to human dignity and violates human rights.
The law, Antonius added, positions victims as subjects who must be protected and rehabilitated, including through LPSK’s mandate to provide physical protection, medical assistance, psychological and psychosocial rehabilitation, restitution, and legal accompaniment during court proceedings. Protection can also be extended to victims’ families if they face threats or pressure during legal proceedings.
He cited Article 6 of the TPPO Eradication Law, which stipulates that anyone who sends a child into or out of the country by any means resulting in the child being exploited faces a minimum prison sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years, along with fines ranging from Rp120 million to Rp600 million.
He said these provisions reflect the state’s commitment to deterring perpetrators while providing maximum protection to children.
“The state must ensure comprehensive recovery for victims, including psychological and psychosocial rehabilitation and the fulfillment of restitution. The provision for asset seizure as restitution collateral under Article 179 of the new Criminal Procedure Code is expected to increase restitution amounts for TPPO victims, which in 2024 totaled only Rp968.06 million,” he added.
Antonius said the case highlights the need to strengthen child protection systems and early detection of potential human trafficking, including through the roles of families, communities, and local governments. He stressed that firm law enforcement must go hand in hand with a strong social protection system to prevent children from becoming victims of similar crimes again.
“The state, through law enforcement agencies, must firmly punish perpetrators, and through victim protection institutions, must ensure that child victims receive proper protection and recovery so they can grow and develop optimally,” Antonius said.
According to LPSK records, the case began on October 31, 2025, when one victim’s biological mother picked up the child from a relative’s home under the pretense of a play outing. However, by November 21, 2025, the child had not been returned. After investigations by the family and law enforcement, it was discovered that the child had been sold through a chain of transactions to multiple parties, with prices escalating from Rp17.5 million to Rp85 million, before ultimately being found in the Jambi region along with three other children also suspected of being trafficking victims.