West Java Police Partner with Meta to Hunt Suspect in Woman's Kidnapping in Bandung

West Java Police are enlisting the help of global technology company Meta to track down a suspect accused of kidnapping and assaulting a 29-year-old woman in Bandung. The suspect, Taufik Hidayat, is currently a fugitive.

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We are also cooperating with foreign parties, specifically in the cyber field, Meta, which manages data on social media. We are cooperating to detect from social media so we can determine the person's location.

West Java Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Setiawan stated that the collaboration with Meta, which manages social media data, aims to detect Hidayat's whereabouts through his online activities. "We are also cooperating with foreign parties, specifically in the cyber field, Meta, which manages data on social media. We are cooperating to detect from social media so we can determine the person's location," Rudi said.

A joint task force, comprising the Cyber Directorate, General Criminal Investigation Directorate, and Narcotics Investigation Directorate, has been formed to thoroughly investigate the case. Rudi indicated that investigators suspect Hidayat is involved in more than just the alleged kidnapping and assault, suggesting potential links to other criminal offenses.

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The joint team from all Investigation Directorates at the West Java Regional Police was formed because we see the spectrum of this case is quite broad. There is suspicion of the perpetrator's involvement in various other criminal acts.

Preliminary findings suggest Hidayat previously worked as a debt collector. Investigators are examining his employment history by interviewing companies he has been associated with. Meanwhile, forensic doctors have identified several injuries on the victim, including damage to her eyes and lips, cuts on her legs, and burns from cigarettes, consistent with prolonged abuse during her captivity over the past three years. These findings will serve as evidence against the suspect.

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Forensic doctors have been able to identify damaged body organs that are not functioning, including the eyes, lips, there are cuts from sharp objects on the legs, then there are cigarette burns and so on.