The move comes as authorities crack down on the alleged illegal organ trade ring, arresting 12 members last week – including a police officer and an immigration officer identified as AH – on charges of smuggling 122 victims to the foreign.
The three Bali immigration officers are accused of working with AH, who allegedly took bribes to allow victims lured by the trafficking ring to easily clear immigration checks in Cambodia for kidney surgeries.
“(They) will be brought to Jakarta this afternoon and will be in the custody of Jakarta police,” Jakarta Police Director for General Crimes Hengki Haryadi said. AFP.
At least 18 of the kidney donor victims left Bali for Cambodia between March and June, he said.
Authorities believe there are more victims and are waiting for them to come forward.
Some of the cell members are former donors who have become recruiters using Facebook and WhatsApp to lure and trade victims.
The organ trafficking ring has been operating since 2019, earning 24.4 billion rupees ($1.58 million) in total, Haryadi told reporters last week.
The traffickers received 200 million rupees for each kidney, pocketing 65 million rupees and giving the rest to the victims.
The organs were taken from Preah Ket Mealea Hospital in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, police said.
Organ trade is banned in Indonesia and the 10 syndicate members arrested last week face 15 years in prison and 600 million rupees in fines if convicted of violating the national human trafficking law humans.
The policeman is accused of obstructing the investigation and receiving bribes to help the accused traffickers move. He faces five years in prison if convicted.
Immigration officer AH is charged with abuse of power and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Cash-strapped Indonesians have already been caught selling their kidneys online for just 50 million rupees each, fueling a dangerous and illegal trade in human body parts.
Much of the desperate trade is driven by poverty, family debts, or outstanding bank loans.
Many of the 122 victims had lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic and were being exploited due to precarious financial situations, Haryadi said.
