West Java Teens Say They Were Trafficked to Papua

January 06, 2012


Five teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 18 from Sukabumi district, West Java told local police that they had fallen victim to a human trafficking syndicate.

One of the teenagers said she was initially told she would work as a baby-sitter in Kalimantan but was instead taken to Papua, where she was forced to work as a prostitute at a local discotheque.

Noneng, the mother of one of the teens, said that upon learning that her daughter was working at a nightclub, she contacted the teen’s workers’ placement agency and was told to pay Rp 2 million ($220) for her daughter’s return.

The five teenagers escaped with the assistance of one of the nightclub workers, who alerted their parents.

Sukabumi Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Witu Urip Laksana said police were pursuing the man posing as a workers’ placement agent.

“We are still investigating the case. Hopefully, we can arrest the perpetrator soon,” he said. 


(read in the JG)