JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police are currently investigating an illegal trade involving human organs. The investigation reveals that police and immigration officers allegedly assisted traffickers in sending 122 Indonesians to a hospital in Cambodia to sell their kidneys. The Jakarta police director for general crimes, Hengki Haryadi, stated that 12 people, including a police officer and an immigration officer, were arrested on July 19. The authorities have made it clear that they will continue to crack down on human smuggling syndicates participating in the illegal trade of human organs.
All 122 victims, including factory workers, teachers, and executives, have returned to Indonesia. However, the police are still searching for additional victims who can provide testimonies required for the investigation. Haryadi explained that most of the victims lost their jobs during the pandemic and agreed to sell their organs due to financial desperation. Currently, six victims remain under observation by doctors.
In an interesting twist, nine of the suspects were former victims themselves. They are accused of luring people from across Indonesia through social media into having their kidneys removed in Cambodia. Another suspect is accused of sending these victims to Preah Ket Mealea Hospital in Phnom Penh for kidney transplant surgeries.
The suspects involved in this illegal trade have collectively made approximately 24.4 billion rupiah ($1.6 million) since 2019. Meanwhile, each victim was promised 135 million rupiah ($9,000).
The group involved in the human trafficking ring consists of a low-ranking police officer in Bekasi, an immigration officer in Bali, and 10 traffickers (three of whom were arrested in Cambodia). They prey on vulnerable job seekers. The Bali immigration officer is accused of abusing his power and falsifying documents to smuggle victims overseas. For each person he smuggled to Cambodia, he received at least 3 million rupiah ($200).
The suspects now face charges for violating Indonesia’s human trafficking law. If found guilty, they could face a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to 600 million rupiah ($39,000). The Bekasi city police officer, known only as M., allegedly received 612 million rupiah ($40,000) for assisting the traffickers and obstructing the investigation. Under the 2007 Human Trafficking Law, both officers could face penalties of up to five years in prison.
During a news conference on July 20, the 12 suspects were paraded by the police. Krishna Murti, the National Police head of the international relations division, confirmed that kidney trafficking transactions took place at Preah Ket Mealea Hospital. The Indonesian and Cambodian police have been in close cooperation regarding this matter.
The World Health Organization prohibited payments for organs in 1987, and many countries have since codified this prohibition into their laws. In 2008, WHO estimated that 5% of all transplants worldwide were illegal, with living donor kidneys being the most commonly traded organ. Southeast Asia continues to face issues such as cybercrime, human trafficking, and labor abuse. Recently, Philippine authorities rescued over 2,700 workers from various countries who were deceived into working for fraudulent online gaming sites and cybercrime groups.
In May, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations agreed to enhance cooperation in border management, investigation, law enforcement, prosecution, and repatriation of victims. They stressed the importance of improving national prevention efforts, including raising public awareness through campaigns and embracing advanced technology.