TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration has found that most of the 321 foreign nationals linked to a major online gambling syndicate in West Jakarta entered the country using pre-investment visas, raising concerns over the misuse of immigration permits.
The foreign nationals were arrested during a police raid on the online gambling operation at Hayam Wuruk Tower Plaza in West Jakarta in May.
Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement Yuldi Yusman said many of the suspects held visas intended for prospective investors to assess business opportunities before making investments in Indonesia. Others entered using visas that do not permit employment.
"Some used visa on arrival, which is not intended for work. This indicates the misuse of residence permits," Yuldi said at the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) headquarters on Friday, June 26.
According to immigration data, two of the foreign nationals entered under Indonesia's visa-free entry scheme, while 36 held B1 Visit Stay Permits (Izin Tinggal Kunjungan or ITK), commonly known as visa on arrival. Another 10 held C2 business visit visas.
The largest group—120 people—held C12 pre-investment visit permits, while 149 others used D12 multiple-entry pre-investment visas. Three foreign nationals were using bridging visas while awaiting conversion to Limited Stay Permits (Izin Tinggal Terbatas or ITAS), and two held investor ITAS permits.
Immigration to Question Sponsor Companies
Yuldi said immigration authorities have identified 15 companies that acted as visa sponsors or guarantors for the foreign nationals and plan to summon them for questioning.
Among them are PT Klitz Tour and Travel and PT 1688 Prima. Tempo previously visited the offices of both companies in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, and Taman Sari, West Jakarta.
When Tempo visited PT Klitz Tour and Travel on June 10, investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) were conducting a search at the office.
Employees of both companies acknowledged handling immigration documents for some of the foreign nationals involved in the gambling network but denied any involvement in the illegal operation. Tempo has requested interviews with both companies but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Hundreds Named Suspects
Police have named 287 of the 321 foreign nationals as suspects. They include 185 Vietnamese nationals, 76 Chinese nationals, 15 Myanmar nationals, six Thai nationals, three Laotian nationals, and two Malaysian nationals.
Investigators said the suspects worked in various roles, including customer service, programming, marketing administration, finance administration, and operational training for the online gambling platforms.
The investigation also revealed that the syndicate operated 145 gambling websites or domains—almost double the 75 websites investigators initially believed were being run from Hayam Wuruk Tower Plaza.
In addition, police have charged four Indonesian nationals, identified by the initials MAP, BT, DFA, and DA.
Director of General Crimes Brig. Gen. Wira Satya Triputra said MAP allegedly served as the syndicate's finance administrator and acted as the main liaison with Chinese national Lio Hongyu, also known as Leo or LTH, who is believed to have coordinated the operation.
Police believe Lio left Indonesia shortly after the May 7 raid and is now in China.
BT allegedly assisted in renting the 20th and 21st floors of Hayam Wuruk Tower Plaza, while DFA was responsible for preparing bank accounts and ATM cards used to facilitate the syndicate's transactions.
The fourth suspect, DA, allegedly managed the group's finances, converted funds into cryptocurrency, and helped arrange residence permits for the foreign nationals.
Investigators estimate that during roughly two months of operation, the syndicate processed online gambling deposits totaling Rp13.9 trillion (about US$850 million), generating an estimated Rp1.69 trillion in profits before police dismantled the operation in the May 7 raid.
Read: Indonesia Police Name Four Locals as Suspects in Online Gambling Ring
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