Understanding migration-related transnational organised crime in Indonesian waters

Research conducted in collaboration between IOM Indonesia and Coventry University in 2015 and 2016, examined the way in which the Indonesian state understood and utilised the concept of maritime security1. As part of this research, a Training Needs Analysis of key Indonesian state maritime security actors was conducted, examining how Indonesia's maritime security capacity can be improved. In this framework, research participants identified ‘smuggling and trafficking of persons’ by sea as one of the top three predominant threats to Indonesia’s maritime security. Building on the previously conducted research, the project titled “Transcending Borders – Strengthening Coordination, Detection and Management of Migration-Related Transnational Organised Maritime Crime in Indonesia” seeks to further understand how this pluralism of threats and key actors have evolved since then, and how contemporary smuggling and trafficking crimes manifest themselves within the Indonesian archipelago. The research was conducted from January 2024 to July 2025, and it was funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), the U.S. Department of State. This report presents its findings, particularly focused on the key Indonesian maritime security stakeholders’ understanding of migration-related TOC at sea and their top priorities in addressing these crimes. The findings stem from the analysis of qualitative primary data collected from relevant research participants, through 27 semi-structured interviews between March and October 2024 in Jakarta, Batam (Riau Islands) and Ambon (Maluku Islands) and a focus group discussion with representatives from 13 Indonesian Institutions (both Government Ministries and Law Enforcement agencies), convened and delivered in Jakarta in Sep 2024.