Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Authorities at Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport successfully prevented 9,378 illegal migrants workers from departing the country between January and December 2024. This figures marking a 35% increase from 5,934 cases recorded the previous year.
According to Tempo, Bismo Surono, Head of Immigration Inspection at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, stated that many of these individuals attempted to leave under the guise of tourism, pilgrimage, or vacation to avoid detection.
“Their modus operandi was to pose as tourists. However, upon closer inspection, clear indications emerged that they intended to work abroad,” Bismo explained on Friday, December 27, 2024.
He added that around 90% of those prevented from departing pretended to be tourists, while the remaining 10% were flagged through immigration’s preventive monitoring system.
Risks of Human Trafficking and Exploitation
The primary destinations for these illegal migrant workers include countries in Asia and the Middle East, with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Saudi Arabia being the most common targets.
Bismo emphasized that strict preventive measures are in place to combat human trafficking and illegal employment exploitation. “We must ensure that individuals claiming to travel for leisure are not misled into becoming undocumented workers facing risks abroad,” he said.
Intensifies Preventions Effort
Immigration authorities have intensified effort to prevent illegal migrants attempting to leave through the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Authorities will enhance in-depth checks on passenger profiles, document verification and pre-departure interviews.
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Bismo noted that discrepancies and suspicious behavior often became apparent during the interview process. “In many cases, further investigation revealed that these individuals lacked proper documentation and intended to work illegally overseas. As a result, we halted their departure,” Bismo said.
Efforts to prevent illegal migrants involve close collaboration between airport immigration officials, the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI).
Authorities continue to urge prospective migrant workers not to be lured by promises of high salaries abroad and to follow legal procedures.
(Raidi/Agung)
