32 Indonesian Citizens Intercepted at Soekarno-Hatta Airport Allegedly Attempting to Perform Hajj via China
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in collaboration with Immigration and the Police, has successfully prevented the departure of 32 Indonesian citizens suspected of attempting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage through unofficial routes. Muhammad, a Civil Servant Investigator (PPNS) for the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, stated that the interception took place on 15 May 2026, at approximately 17:00 WIB at the International Departure Terminal 2 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
According to Muhammad, the initial information was obtained by Immigration officials during a random inspection of the group. The inspection revealed strong indications that the passengers intended to perform the Hajj non-procedurally via a third country. “A total of 32 individuals were indicated to be performing non-procedural Hajj via China,” Muhammad stated, as reported by the Ministry’s website on Monday, 18 May 2026.
Investigations revealed that the group’s itinerary involved travelling from Jakarta to Singapore, before continuing to Haikou, Hainan, China. The group had reportedly registered under the guise of a Muslim tour programme to Hainan City. The travel package was offered at a value of Rp35 million, but with a subsidy of Rp20 million provided by the company, participants only paid Rp15 million for a six-day trip. The group was scheduled to use Batik Air for the Jakarta–Singapore route, followed by Hainan Airlines to Haikou.
Muhammad revealed that suspicion arose after an officer discovered that one member of the group possessed a Saudi Arabian work visa. This discovery prompted immigration officials to conduct further inspections of all participants. “The results of the inspection showed that 31 people held Saudi Arabian work visas, while one person, identified by the initials EM, who served as the tour leader, did not have such a visa,” he said.
Currently, all Indonesian citizens involved are undergoing further investigation by Immigration and Police officials at Soekarno-Hatta Airport to deepen the investigation into suspected violations regarding non-procedural Hajj departures. Meanwhile, the Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organistion Control, Harun Al Rasyid, expressed appreciation for the synergy of the joint team in preventing these non-procedural Hajj practices.