32 Prospective Hajj Pilgrims Stopped for Non-Procedural Departure, Initially Claimed They Planned a Tourist Trip to China

Jakarta – The Police’s Hajj Task Force disclosed the modus operandi used by 32 Indonesian citizens who were prospective Hajj pilgrims and were halted from departing at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang on Friday, 15 May 2026.

During initial questioning, the would-be pilgrims said they intended to undertake a tourist trip to Hainan Province, People’s Republic of China (PRC), via a Batik Air flight on the Jakarta–Singapore route.

However, initial checks by immigration officers found that 31 of them held Saudi Arabia work visas of the single-entry type with a validity of 90 days.

From further investigations, five individuals ultimately admitted they planned to perform the Hajj pilgrimage via a particular route. Some others still claimed their travel purpose was tourism.

Police also found one person who acted as tour leader and simultaneously as operations manager for the FEIGO travel agency, who organised the group’s departure.

The case is part of the Hajj Task Force’s monitoring during the 2026 Hajj season into non-procedural pilgrimages, visa misuse, and various fraud schemes targeting prospective pilgrims.

In addition to airport surveillance, the Subtask Force on Enforcement for the Hajj and Umrah of the Police also handles reports from the public concerning alleged illegal Hajj activities.

To date, 11 police reports (LP) and 21 information reports (LI) have been handled.

The Public Relations Division head, Irjen Johnny Eddizon Isir, said the surveillance is designed to ensure the public does not become victims of illegal departure practices that cause harm. “The safeguarding and surveillance of Hajj is not only about law enforcement; it is part of the state’s protection of its people,” Isir said.