Indonesian police arrest over 600 human trafficking suspects

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Police arrested 642 suspects charged with human trafficking during a crackdown this month.

Director of General Crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro said that until June 28, police have uncovered 553 human trafficking cases involving as many as 642 suspects.

Police also rescued 1,826 victims during the ongoing crackdown on people smuggling syndicates from June 5 to 27, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported him said.

An anti-people smuggling task force was established early this month, following directives from President Joko Widodo, who also initiated a regional response to combat people smuggling in Southeast Asia during Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN this year.

-- BERNAMA