Story perspectives

Indonesian Police Detain 321 Foreign Nationals in Online Gambling Raid

5/11/2026

Summary

Indonesian Police Raid

Indonesian police detained 321 foreign nationals in a Jakarta raid on May 7, seizing devices for online gambling.
Wira Satya Triputra said the detainees were 228 Vietnamese, 57 Chinese, 11 Laotian, five Thai and three each Cambodian and Malaysian.
Authorities charged 275 suspects with gambling and money-laundering, while investigations continue for the others.
Preliminary findings show the syndicate began two months ago and targeted victims outside Indonesia, though destinations were not disclosed.

Summary

Police Crackdown

Suspects face up to nine years imprisonment and fines of up to two billion rupiah ($116,000) for gambling and immigration crimes.
Police said many arrested foreigners entered on short-term visitor visas and later overstayed, adding immigration violations to their charges.
Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Indonesia’s Interpol Bureau, said Cambodia’s 2025 iGaming crackdown pushed operators toward Indonesia.
Authorities seized safes and currencies, indicating a broader financial network beyond the gambling sites.

Summary

Police Detain Scammers

Batam police detained 210 foreign nationals, including 47 women, for suspected online investment fraud.
Surabaya police arrested 44 Japanese and Chinese foreigners posing as police.
Sukabumi authorities seized 16 suspects linked to a China-Malaysia-Taiwan scamming network.
Bali deported 26 alleged scammers from the Philippines and Kenya, indicating Indonesia’s anti-cybercrime drive now targets investment fraud and impersonation scams beyond gambling.

Summary

Police Seize Servers

Police seized the servers and digital systems powering the cross-border gambling platform.
Brig. Gen. Wira Satya Triputra of the National Criminal Investigation Agency briefed reporters on the operation’s scope.
Investigators said the illegal gambling network had been active for about two months before police intervened.
The raid shows West Jakarta’s internet and high-rise offices let cybercrime groups operate unnoticed, underscoring the city’s reputation as a regional hub for sophisticated online illicit enterprises.

History

Historical Context

In 2005 the United Kingdom passed the Gambling Act, creating the Gambling Commission and bringing online betting under British regulation. Although the act left illegal markets active, the regulated online sector now values around £650 million. The transnational scope mirrors Indonesia’s 2023 crackdown, where the National Criminal Investigation Agency under Brig. Gen. Wira Satya Triputra detained over 500 foreign nationals.

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Indonesian Police Raid

Indonesian police detained 321 foreign nationals in a Jakarta raid on May 7, seizing devices for online gambling.
Wira Satya Triputra said the detainees were 228 Vietnamese, 57 Chinese, 11 Laotian, five Thai and three each Cambodian and Malaysian.
Authorities charged 275 suspects with gambling and money-laundering, while investigations continue for the others.
Preliminary findings show the syndicate began two months ago and targeted victims outside Indonesia, though destinations were not disclosed.

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