Police uncover trafficking ring arranging brides for China

Indonesia’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has uncovered a suspected human trafficking syndicate operating a mail-order bride scheme to China, which involved falsifying victims’ ages.

The Head of Bareskrim's unit responsible for human trafficking crimes, Senior Commissioner Yolanda Evalyn Sebayang, said three suspects were arrested, and three women were rescued.

“The victims’ ages were falsified to meet China’s marriage requirements. They underwent unregistered marriage ceremonies in Indonesia before being taken to China, where they were supposed to formalize their marriages,” Sebayang said during a press conference on Thursday.

As the minimum legal marriage age in China is 22, the suspects falsified the victims’ ages of 18 and 20 in official documents to meet the requirement.

The syndicate also arranged their travel documents to facilitate their journey to China.

The three victims were placed in a hotel room or apartment unit arranged by the syndicate where they underwent unregistered marriage ceremonies with Chinese nationals before their departure, Sebayang noted.

According to Sebayang, the victims were scheduled to fly from Jakarta to Hong Kong via Penang on October 10, 2026.

However, as they underwent immigration checks, officers found evidence of a mail-order bride scheme, prompting an investigation and arrests of the perpetrators.

During the investigation, police also discovered photographs of Indonesian women allegedly sent by operators in Indonesia and Hong Kong to their agents in China, who used them as a catalogue for the mail-order bride scheme.

"The female victims are suspected to be offered up to Rp400-500 million each," Sebayang said.

The senior commissioner identified the three suspects by their initials: YB, the Chinese national who posed as the groom; RMM; and FC also known as AI.

YB allegedly persuaded his victim to agree to the marriage by offering a dowry of Rp20 million to Rp25 million.

The victims also promised Rp4-5 million monthly allowance upon arrival in China, she added.

Meanwhile, RMM allegedly arranged the unregistered marriage ceremonies and provided the apartment where they took place, and FC alias AI was responsible for preparing falsified civil and travel documents.

The suspects will be prosecuted under Articles 4 and 10 of Law No. 21 of 2007 on the Eradication of the Human Trafficking Criminal Act, she said.

Related news: Foreign restaurant owner named suspect in East Java trafficking case

Translator: Nadia Putri Rahmani, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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