Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 11:32 AM

Indonesia arrests 5 foreigners suspected in online gambling syndicate

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Devi Nindy Sari R, Nabil Ihsan

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Immigration Office has arrested five foreign nationals from China and Vietnam suspected of being part of an international online gambling syndicate.

According to Banten Immigration Office Head Barron Ichsan, the five foreigners were arrested following an inspection of their place of stay on September 7, during which officers found "an unreasonable number of electronic devices operating automatically."

"During the inspection, our officers confiscated one computer, one laptop, and 26 cellphones," Ichsan said of the operation in his remarks on Saturday.

The large number of electronic devices found operating automatically was suspected to be linked to online gambling activities.

Ichsan said the operation began on August 29, when immigration officers received temporary stay permit extension applications from two Chinese nationals with the initials WH and ZL and three Vietnamese nationals identified by the initials LVT, DVD, and DIH.

Immigration officers found discrepancies in the proof of return tickets that the five applicants were required to submit. They suspected that the tickets belonged to other individuals and that the passenger names had been altered.

After summoning the five foreigners on September 7, immigration officers continued with an inspection of their place of stay in Kelapa Dua, Tangerang District, Banten. During the inspection, officers found the suspected online gambling operation.

The initial investigation revealed that the two Chinese nationals helped operate the system used to record transactions, while the three Vietnamese nationals were assigned to collect money generated from gambling activities targeting the Vietnamese market.

Ichsan said the suspects earned hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong each day from the online gambling operation, adding that they had been in Indonesia for one month.

Following the operation, the immigration office intensified its monitoring of seven other foreigners who had fled, two of whom had been placed on the "subject of interest" list.

The immigration office is coordinating with the respective embassies in Jakarta over the case and has opened the possibility of deportation and an entry ban if the suspects are not prosecuted in Indonesia. Ichsan emphasized that Indonesia allows only foreign nationals who benefit the country and do not pose a threat to public safety and order to enter the country.

"We will continue our surveillance and take firm action against activities that could disrupt public safety," he added.

The five suspects will be charged under Articles 122 and/or 123 of the Immigration Law for abusing their stay permits and providing false immigration data, offenses punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to Rp200 million.

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