On 9/5, Indonesian officials announced one of the largest crackdowns in the nation's history targeting illegal online gambling networks, arresting 321 foreign nationals at a commercial building near the Chinatown area in the capital, Jakarta.
Wira Satya Triputra, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department within the Indonesian National Police, stated that among the arrested suspects were 228 Vietnamese nationals and 57 Chinese nationals, with the remainder coming from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
Indonesian officials described the building as the operational hub for at least 75 online gambling websites, targeting players outside Indonesia.
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The syndicate was systematically organized, with personnel assigned to various roles such as: customer service, telemarketing, and financial management. Police also seized foreign currency, computers, phones, passports, and other equipment.
Investigators estimate the syndicate had been operating for two months. Suspects frequently changed operational locations to evade detection, recruiting foreign workers to operate the websites and customer service departments. Many suspects entered Indonesia on short-term tourist visas.
Those indicted currently face a maximum sentence of 9 years in prison, along with a fine of 116,000 USD. The Indonesian National Police is searching for the ringleaders and financial backers behind this network.
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Indonesian police escort suspects arrested during a raid in Jakarta. Photo: AP |
Indonesia has recently uncovered a series of similar transnational crime syndicates in Surabaya, Bali, and Batam.
Untung Widyatmoko, Secretary of Interpol Indonesia's office, stated that online gambling syndicates previously operating in Myanmar and Cambodia are relocating to other countries, including Indonesia, following crackdowns.
On 6/5, Indonesian police launched a raid on an apartment on Batam island, arresting approximately 210 foreign nationals accused of participating in online investment fraud.
On 8/5, officials in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, announced the arrest of 44 Japanese and Chinese nationals impersonating police in an online scam ring. This incident followed the arrest of 13 Japanese citizens in Bogor city in a related operation in March.
Duc Trung (According to AP, Reuters, Jakarta Post)
