Law Enforcement by Indonesian National Police Investigators in Handling the Crimes of Human Trafficking and Human Organ Trafficking Involving Women and Children

Abstract

He Crime of Human Trafficking (TPPO), accompanied by the crime of human organ trafficking, constitutes one of the most fundamental violations of human rights and is categorized as an extremely heinous form of transnational organized crime. In practice, vulnerable groups such as women and children consistently occupy the position of primary victims due to social structural inequalities, extreme poverty, and limited legal literacy. These criminal syndicates operate systematically with constantly evolving modus operandi, ranging from debt bondage, fraudulent job offers, to forced exploitation within underground medical networks for the illegal harvesting of human organs. The complexity of this crime demands the absolute presence of the state through its law enforcement instruments to break the chain of modern slavery and ensure the safety of citizens from physical and psychological exploitation that undermines human dignity. This study aims to comprehensively examine how law enforcement is carried out by investigators of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in handling cases of human trafficking and organ trafficking, with a primary focus on fulfilling the rights and protection of women and child victims. Using a normative-juridical approach with statutory and conceptual approaches, the analysis focuses on three essential dimensions: investigators' authority in dismantling criminal networks, the implementation of victim-centered protection within the pro justitia process, and the identification of obstacles along with optimization strategies. The findings indicate that although legal instruments granting extraordinary authority to Polri investigators are already available, implementation in the field still faces serious challenges, including difficulties in medical-forensic evidence collection, cybercrime occurring on the dark web, and cultural barriers within society. The Women and Children Service Unit (UPPA) of Polri has sought to implement victim-centered justice through a trauma-informed care approach; however, its institutional capacity requires significant enhancement. Optimal law enforcement requires strong inter-agency synergy, the utilization of digital forensic technology, the implementation of financial tracking strategies (follow the money) to financially cripple criminal syndicates, and integrated protection involving medical and psychological institutions so that women and children who become victims can have their rights comprehensively restored.