REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PONTIANAK -- The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the West Kalimantan Provincial Police foiled a criminal offense of trafficking of 42 people. The victims were about to be smuggled to Malaysia.

"In this case of trafficking in persons, we succeeded in arresting two suspects, with their initials And (43) and Ash (39)," West Kalimantan Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Didi Haryono said in Pontianak on Friday.

According him, four of the Indonesian migrant workers are toddlers. "We also secured evidence, including passports, cellphones, plane tickets, and victims' identity cards," he said.

On that occasion, the West Kalimantan Police Chief asked people who want to work abroad not to easily trust brokers. Police also called on people not to be easily lured with high salaries when working abroad.

"Because working abroad is not as easy as one might imagine. It's better in one's own country," he said.

Meanwhile, head of the Indonesian Center for Services, Placement and Protection of Workers (BP3TKI) of West Kalimantan, Andi Kusuma said this province is a transit area for illegal workers both from outside and from within West Kalimantan itself.

"The government has prepared an integrated office for the departure of workers in Sambas and Entikong. I hope that all can follow the official procedure so that they will not become victims of trafficking," he said.

In the meantime, head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Social Rehabilitation affairs of West Kalimantan provincial Wiji stated that repatriation or deportation of illegal migrant workers this year through West Kalimantan amounted to 1,964 people, and his office experienced obstacles to repatriate the illegal workers.

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