Indonesian police arrest 7 in seafood slavery case

Two Indonesians and five Thais were arrested on charges of human trafficking connected with slavery in the seafood industry, Indonesian police said on Tuesday.

They were the first suspects taken into custody since the case was revealed by The Associated Press in a report two months ago. The arrests were made yesterday and late Friday in the remote island village of <g data-gr-id="22">Benjina</g>, said Lt Col Arie <g data-gr-id="23">Dharmanto</g>, National Police anti-trafficking unit chief.

Five Thai boat captains and two Indonesian employees at Pusaka <g data-gr-id="28">Benjina</g> Resources, one of the largest fishing firms in eastern Indonesia, were taken into custody. The arrests come after the AP reported on slave-caught seafood shipped from <g data-gr-id="29">Benjina</g> to Thailand, where it can be exported and enter the supply chains of some of America’s biggest food retailers.

“They have committed an extraordinary crime, and we will not let it happen again in Indonesia,” <g data-gr-id="24">Dharmanto</g> said. “We will not stop here. We will pursue those who are <g data-gr-id="20">involved</g> in this case, whoever they are.” 

Police will recommend they be charged by prosecutors. If the men go to trial, they could face jail sentences of up to 15 years and fines as high as USD 46,000, he said. He said the number of suspects would likely climb because authorities are still investigating how thousands of foreign fishermen from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand were put on fishing boats in Thailand sometimes after being tricked or kidnapped and brought to work in Indonesian waters where they were not allowed to leave.