Polda Metro Jaya Uncovers Child Trafficking Networks in Bekasi and West Jakarta

The Directorate of Women and Children Protection and Trafficking in Persons (PPA-PPO) of Polda Metro Jaya has uncovered a child trafficking and exploitation network in two separate locations, namely Cibitung, Bekasi Regency, and Lokasari, West Jakarta. The Director of PPA-PPO Polda Metro Jaya, Senior Commissioner Rita Wulandari Wibowo, stated on Wednesday that the discovery stemmed from cyber patrols and public reports via the Polda Metro Jaya’s official digital platforms indicating trafficking practices. ‘In May, we received various information from members of the public who tagged our account regarding exploitative content,’ she said. Rita explained that after intensive profiling and cyber investigation, police detected strong indications of child trafficking in the ‘Tenda Biru’ red-light district in Cibitung, Bekasi Regency. ‘During the operation, officers secured eight underage victims from four different cafes,’ she stated. The perpetrators’ modus operandi was to recruit children under the age of 18 to work as commercial sex workers. The victims were forced to accompany male guests, drink alcohol, sing karaoke, and provide sexual services. ‘The rates varied between IDR 200,000 and IDR 250,000 per guest. On average, the victims only received tips of around IDR 100,000,’ Rita said. Based on the investigation, the Cibitung network is suspected to have been operating for approximately three years and managed to generate economic profits reaching IDR 1.7 billion. ‘The suspects were fully aware that the victims were underage when they were recruited. They provided facilities and means to profit from this sexual exploitation in a structured and continuous manner,’ she stressed. In the second location in the Lokasari area, Tamansari, West Jakarta, the PPA-PPO Directorate also uncovered a similar case. Police secured one underage victim and named a 40-year-old woman with the initials RS, who acted as a coordinator commonly referred to as ‘Mami’, as the main suspect. ‘Suspect RS played a role in recruiting an underage victim for sexual exploitation,’ Rita explained. She added that medical examinations of all the rescued victims from both locations revealed health issues requiring intensive care. The police are now coordinating with the Women and Children Protection Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD PPA) and the Social Services of DKI Jakarta and West Java to place the victims in a safe house for psychological rehabilitation and to ensure their rights to restitution. During the raids, police seized a number of items as evidence, including 20 mobile phones, guest activity logbooks, cash, contraceptives, lubricants, and various medicines. Police also conducted urine tests on 37 individuals arrested at the locations, all of which returned negative results for drugs. For their actions, the perpetrators face multiple charges, including Article 76I in conjunction with Article 88 of the Child Protection Law, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison or a fine of IDR 200 million. They are also charged under Article 12 in conjunction with Article 15 letters f and g of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence Crimes (TPKS), which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.