Indonesian police arrest 321 foreigners in an operation to crack down on banned online gambling
Indonesian police arrested 321 foreigners in a raid targeting an online gambling hub in Jakarta.Summary
Indonesian police arrested 321 foreign nationals in a raid on an alleged online gambling operation in Jakarta, described as a hub for over 70 websites targeting players outside Indonesia. The detainees, primarily from Vietnam (228), China (57), and other Southeast Asian nations, were arrested while working in roles such as customer service and telemarketing. Authorities seized cash, computers, and passports, and noted that many suspects had overstayed their visas. The operation, estimated to have run for two months, uncovered violations of immigration laws alongside suspected gambling and money-laundering offenses. Those formally charged could face up to nine years in prison. This raid is part of a broader crackdown on illegal digital betting networks in Indonesia, a country where online gambling is strictly prohibited. Authorities have linked the group to at least 75 betting platforms and are continuing to trace the organizers and financial backers. This operation follows similar transnational crime busts in Surabaya, Bali, and Batam, and coincides with a shift in operations from Myanmar and Cambodia to Indonesia.
(Source：WTOP)