Indonesian Police: Action Will Be Taken Against Human Trafficking and Organ Trade Gangs

Indonesian police, with the help of the country's immigration and customs police, are investigating the illegal organ trade and have stated that they will take action against traffickers who sent 122 Indonesians to a hospital in Cambodia for the sale of their kidneys. According to the Associated Press, Hengki Haryadi, head of Jakarta's public crimes police, announced that 12 individuals, including a police officer and an immigration officer, were arrested last week, emphasizing that the police will continue to crack down on human trafficking gangs responsible for the illegal organ trade. He stated that all 122 victims, who included factory workers, teachers, and executives, have returned to Indonesia, and police are still searching for several other victims needed for testimony in the case. This police official from Indonesia's capital noted that six of the victims are still under medical supervision, adding, 'Most victims lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic and were willing to sell their organs due to financial need.' Hengki Haryadi mentioned that nine of the suspects were former victims of the organ trade who used social media to lure individuals in Indonesia to sell their kidneys in Cambodia. He added that the turnover of the illegal organ trade by this group has amounted to 24.4 billion rupiah (1.6 million dollars) since 2019, while each victim was promised 135 million rupiah (9,000 dollars). The World Health Organization first prohibited payment for organs in 1987, and many countries have since codified this prohibition into their national laws. The organization estimated in 2008 that 5 percent of organ transplants performed worldwide were illegal, with kidneys obtained from living individuals being the most common type of organ trade reported. Beyond the illegal organ trade, cybercrime, human trafficking, and labor exploitation remain prevalent in Southeast Asia.