The Effectiveness of Law Enforcement and Police Strategies in Combating Digital Platform-Based Human Trafficking in Indonesia

Abstract

The Crime of Human Trafficking (TPPO) in the digital era has transformed from a conventional physical-based crime into a transnational cybercrime known as cyber-trafficking. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention and law enforcement strategies implemented by the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in combating human trafficking conducted through digital platforms. Employing a normative-empirical legal research method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study analyzes empirical data and legal literature from various police jurisdictions across Indonesia. The findings indicate that although cyber patrols, digital investigations, and the establishment of Anti-Trafficking Task Forces have been optimized, law enforcement efforts continue to face significant challenges. These obstacles include regulatory inadequacies in addressing cyber-based trafficking schemes, limited cyber forensic competencies among law enforcement officers, underreporting by victims due to psychological trauma, and sentencing disparities in courts that frequently impose relatively lenient punishments. Therefore, adaptive legal reforms responsive to digital trafficking methods, strengthening of cyber forensic infrastructure, and expansion of multi-stakeholder international cooperation are necessary to ensure comprehensive and sustainable protection for vulnerable groups in accordance with Human Rights principles.