Police Repatriate Three Indonesian Human Trafficking Victims from Libya, Two Suspects Arrested
Police have revealed the latest developments in a human trafficking case (TPPO) involving Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) illegally sent to Libya. Police have begun repatriating the Indonesian nationals who fell victim.
Director of the Women and Children Protection and Human Trafficking Unit at Jakarta Metro Police, Senior Commissioner Rita Wulandari Wibowo, said three victims with the initials NAR, SS and NKR had been retrieved from Libya. All three were victims of exploitation under the guise of employment in Libya.
“There are three victims, as already mentioned — NAR, SS and NKR. They are all adults and all three are women. They suffered economic exploitation because they were placed in a country that is not an approved destination for Indonesian migrant workers, as there is a decision by the Minister of Manpower imposing a moratorium on Libya,” Rita said at a press conference at Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters on Tuesday (4/8/2026).
Rita said the victims had been promised work as domestic helpers but were instead exploited to the point of falling ill. The police, according to Rita, are providing support and recovery assistance to the victims.
“Medically, they were found to be suffering from health problems, possibly due to irregular working hours, the food they received and inadequate rest, resulting in stomach and epigastric pain,” she explained.
Rita said the repatriation was carried out through government-to-government cooperation, involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI). The three victims are still receiving medical treatment.
A further 41 Indonesian nationals remain in Libya. The repatriation process is being carried out in stages. Police have urged the public not to be taken in by similar fraudulent schemes.
“At the PPA-PPO Investigation Directorate, we also handle online reports through the ‘Lapor Bu’ channel. We hope this appeal reflects our consistent commitment to eradicating human trafficking,” she said.
Two suspects arrested
Investigators have named two people as suspects in the human trafficking case. Both have been detained at the Jakarta Metro Police detention centre.
“We have named two suspects, who are now in detention at the Jakarta Metro Police detention facility,” said Head of Public Relations at Jakarta Metro Police, Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto, at a press conference at Jakarta Metro Police Headquarters in Jakarta on Friday (24/7).
Meanwhile, Director of General Crime Investigation at Jakarta Metro Police, Senior Commissioner Iman Imanuddin, explained that the suspects had paid prospective victims to persuade them to depart. The two suspects are identified as R and DY, each with a different role in the trafficking operation.
“The first is a suspect named R, alias Ica, who instructed suspect DY to recruit the victims and also channelled financing for them. The second is suspect DY, who actively sought out victims to be sent abroad,” said Iman.