VZCZCXRO2608
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2222/01 3451021
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101021Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0908
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5711
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3387
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1496
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2494
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2825
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 3320
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1327
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3153
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002222 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSA, G/TIP, DS, DS/CR, 
DS/IP/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SMIG ASEC ID SNAR
SUBJECT: USG TRAINING BOLSTERS INDONESIA'S ANTI-TRAFFICKING 
EFFORTS 
 
REF: JAKARTA 1435 AND PREVIOUS 
 
JAKARTA 00002222  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  USG assistance is making a difference in 
helping the GOI combat trafficking.  A joint RSO-DOJ/ICITAP 
program focused on training Jakarta police and prosecutors on 
human trafficking law enforcement has yielded positive 
results--hundreds of trafficking victims rescued and the 
arrest of dozens of traffickers.  This initiative is focused 
on preventing smuggling and trafficking to the U.S., but in 
fact has helped mobilize the entire national anti-trafficking 
effort.  All this has been accomplished with just USD 45,000 
in funding.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A KEY COURSE 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The fifth class of Jakarta police and prosecutors 
graduated December 5 from the joint RSO-DOJ/ICITAP anti-human 
trafficking course.  To date, 125 police and 50 prosecutors 
have taken the five-day course, taught jointly by the ARSO-I 
and ICITAP TIP trainers.  RSO, ARSO-I and Labor Attache 
addressed the graduation ceremony, emphasizing the gravity of 
the trafficking problem and the importance of effective law 
enforcement.  RSO termed trafficking a "crime against 
humanity."  Labor Attache discussed the need for authorities 
to step up arrests of major traffickers of migrant workers, 
including manpower agencies, as well as of corrupt officials. 
 He noted the problem of trafficking involving Jakarta's 
Sukarno-Hatta International Airport. 
 
"OPERATION HEAD HUNTER" YIELDS RESULTS 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The teaching of this course is part of the 
"Operation Head Hunter" initiative.  The operation has 
focused on anti-fraud investigations, criminal intelligence 
gathering, arrest and prosecution of traffickers, and 
training of law enforcement officials.  Training was funded 
using DS and ICITAP resources.  From September 2007 to 
December 2008, the Operation has rescued 309 women forced 
into prostitution, arrested 20 suspects, executed 11 search 
warrants of trafficker's offices and residences, and have 
seen an overall increase of sentences for traffickers from 6 
months to 36 months. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In addition to training, the ARSO-I investigative 
program has opened 141 visa fraud cases, denied or revoked 
156 visas, and the Indonesian Police have arrested 74 
subjects for the production, sale, or use of counterfeit 
documents.  The INP has also conducted raids of 18 offices of 
human smuggling/trafficking organizations based on 
information provided by ARSO-I.  The criminal intelligence 
developed by the Consular Fraud Prevention Unit has witnessed 
a reduction of criminal smuggling/trafficking syndicates 
recruiting workers for the U.S. in local newspapers 
advertisements from 40 to 13 because of the difficulty in 
procuring fraudulent visas to the U.S. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) ARSO-I has also worked closely with Jakarta police 
in their investigation of trafficking cases, resulting in 
establishment of a 15-member Human Smuggling and Trafficking 
Unit, trained by DSS/ICITAP.  Australian and German federal 
police provided equipment and refurbished office space for 
the new GOI team. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Police officers trained in this program have 
conducted a series of major busts in the past few months (see 
reftel).  Furthermore, the national police anti-trafficking 
unit (Unit 3) has declared December anti-trafficking month 
with a series of raids, many done in conjunction with Jakarta 
police trained by DSS/ICITAP.  In the first week of 
operations, 148 women, including 39 foreigners, were rescued. 
 These included raids on: 
 
 
JAKARTA 00002222  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
-- A human trafficking syndicate house in West Jakarta and 
the rescue of 18 women destined to be sold into sex slavery 
in Taiwan (traffickers are at large). 
 
-- Hotels and spas--including the luxury Hotel Nikko in 
downtown Jakarta--resulting in rescue of 82 Indonesian and 
foreigners (from China, Vietnam, Mongolia and Thailand). 
Three foreign agents are being investigated and could be 
imprisoned for six years under the 2007 anti-trafficking law. 
 The victims are being cared for and not prosecuted. 
 
USG FUNDING GETS BANG FOR THE BUCK 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Operation Headhunter has produced dramatic results 
since it was initiated last year by an ARSO-I assigned to 
focus on smuggling and trafficking to the U.S.  Besides 
sharply reducing smuggling/trafficking to the U.S. and 
opening up major cases in the U.S., the operation has 
mobilized Jakarta police and prosecutors.  This was 
accomplished with just USD30,000 plus support from ICITAP in 
the amount of USD15,000.  Funding was used primarily to help 
police with their investigations.  ICITAP staff were also 
part of the training team.  Mission strongly supports 
increased funding for this effort given that it is an 
effective and economical tool. 
 
HUME