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More than 300 foreign nationals have been arrested in Jakarta following a major police raid on an alleged online gambling operation, marking one of Indonesia’s most significant crackdowns on illegal digital betting networks.
A total of 321 individuals, predominantly from Vietnam, were apprehended at a commercial building near the city’s Chinatown district. Investigators described the location as a central hub for over 70 online gambling websites, which marketing records and digital evidence suggest were targeting players outside Indonesia.
Among those arrested were 228 Vietnamese and 57 Chinese nationals, with the remainder originating from Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Wira Satya Triputra, director of general crimes with the Indonesian National Police, stated that efforts are ongoing to trace the organisers and financial backers behind the network.
“We arrested the suspects in the act while they were carrying out activities related to online gambling,” Mr Triputra told a news conference on Saturday. He detailed a highly structured operation, with workers assigned specific roles in customer service, telemarketing, and financial administration. Police estimate the syndicate had been active for approximately two months.
Over 300 people were arrested by Indonesian police (AFP/Getty)
Authorities noted that many gambling syndicates frequently relocate their operations to evade detection, often recruiting foreign workers to manage websites and customer services.
Mr Triputra confirmed that many suspects had entered Indonesia on short-term visitor visas and overstayed their permits, adding that “immigration violations were uncovered in addition to suspected gambling and money-laundering offenses.”
Police seized cash in multiple currencies, computers, mobile phones, passports, and other equipment believed to be integral to managing the betting platforms, which are thought to number at least 75.
As of Saturday, 275 of those detained have been formally named as suspects, with others still under questioning. Those charged could face up to nine years in prison under Indonesian law and a fine of 2 billion rupiah (£84,000).
Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Indonesia’s Interpol bureau, highlighted similar transnational crime operations recently uncovered in Surabaya, Bali, and Batam.
He stressed the need for tighter coordination among law enforcement agencies, noting that online gambling operators previously based in Myanmar and Cambodia are now relocating to countries like Indonesia following crackdowns elsewhere.
“After enforcement measures in Cambodia, we started to see a shift toward Indonesia, and that was something we anticipated,” Mr Widyatmoko said.
Recent arrests include 210 foreign nationals suspected of online investment fraud in Batam, 44 foreigners in Surabaya for posing as police in a scam ring, and 16 international scammers in Sukabumi. Additionally, 26 alleged online scammers were deported from Bali last month.
Online gambling is illegal in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, which has intensified enforcement efforts amid concerns over organised crime and cross-border cyber operations. Police indicated that the ongoing investigation could lead to further arrests linked to international networks.
