Online scam networks can spread across various countries by\nseparating people, money, technology, and operations. This pattern makes\nenforcement in a single country risky, as it may only reach a fraction\nof the network.<\/p>\n
ASEAN now needs to strengthen the connectivity of its existing\ncooperation mechanisms so that enforcement can move as swiftly as these\ncross-border networks. The situation in Cambodia illustrates this\nimmense challenge. From 1 January to 15 September 2026, the Indonesian\nEmbassy in Phnom Penh received reports from 12,940 Indonesian citizens\nformerly involved in online scam networks requesting assistance to\nreturn to Indonesia. A total of 8,252 people have had their repatriation\nfacilitated, while since early September, another 118 Indonesians were\ndetained in several operations.<\/p>\n
The sheer number of individuals found demonstrates the scale of the\nproblem. However, enforcement against people and physical locations does\nnot automatically dismantle operations. Networks can replace workers,\naccounts, operational bases, and digital tools. Therefore, legal\nenforcement must link findings from one part of the network to\nanother.<\/p>\n
ASEAN already possesses the basic tools for this. The ASEAN\nDeclaration on Combating Cybercrime and Online Scams, agreed upon in\nSeptember 2025, covers information exchange, mutual legal assistance,\nextradition, coordinated operations, joint investigations, and the\ntracking, freezing, and seizure of criminal proceeds. The declaration\nalso emphasises the need for rapid responses to prevent the loss of\ncriminal assets crossing jurisdictions.<\/p>\n
Technical capabilities of authorities are also being strengthened.\nThe ASEANAPOL Scam Combat Task Force held an investigation workshop in\nSemarang from 29 June to 3 July 2026, with over 60 participants. The\nmaterial covered digital evidence, financial investigations, blockchain\nand crypto, and international law enforcement cooperation.<\/p>\n
What is needed next is not merely adding new instruments, but\nbuilding a workflow where every finding can trigger subsequent action.\nRecruitment information can lead to controllers, digital evidence can\nexpand investigations, and financial intelligence can track cross-border\nfund movements.<\/p>\n
The problem is that information valuable to one country may not\nimmediately become actionable information for another. Yordan Gunawan,\nan International Law Expert at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta,\nnotes that jurisdictional boundaries, differing legal systems, and the\nneed to obtain evidence and assets through legitimate mechanisms mean\nthat cross-border scam handling cannot be done unilaterally.<\/p>\n
Therefore, connectivity must mean more than just sharing information.\nInformation must have context, be verifiable, and be immediately\ntranslated into investigative steps according to each country\u2019s laws.\nSpeed is critical because when digital evidence and funds move rapidly,\ndelays in coordination can render a finding useless for enforcement.<\/p>\n
Financial pathways are a vital link in the chain. Dicky Kartikoyono,\nExecutive Head of Supervision of Conduct, Education, and Consumer\nProtection at the Financial Services Authority (OJK), stated that\ncriminal proceeds can move within minutes through various platforms,\nmule accounts, virtual assets, and cross-border transactions. Delays in\ndetecting suspicious transactions can make asset tracing and the\ndismantling of criminal networks difficult.<\/p>\n
This means that financial investigations should not wait until after\na raid. Fund tracing needs to run from the beginning alongside\ninvestigations into individuals and infrastructure, so that a single\naccount does not merely serve as an object for blocking, but acts as an\nentry point to discover recruiters, controllers, assets, and other\nconnected operations.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, the Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre (IASC) had blocked\n607,210 accounts out of 1,179,881 accounts reported by the public as of\n31 July 2026. Funds related to online fraud amounting to Rp724.1 billion\nwere blocked, and Rp204.3 billion was returned to victims. When fund\nflows cross borders, tracing must not stop at the authority of a single\nnation.<\/p>\n
Enforcement must also distinguish victims of human trafficking from\nthose controlling the operations. In August 2026, ASEAN validated\nregional indicators regarding human trafficking for criminal\nexploitation and materials for implementing non-punishment principles.\nThese tools help authorities recognise victims forced into criminal\nactivity so that protection can be provided and investigations can be\ndirected towards those who recruit, control, and profit from\nexploitation.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/strengthening-asean-enforcement-against-scam-networks-1789978069", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }