Building in Hayam Wuruk Appears Ordinary from the Outside, Turns Out to Be Headquarters for Online Gambling

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – From the outside, the office building in the Hayam Wuruk area of West Jakarta appears like a typical centre of business activity. Its location is in the midst of a row of hotels, shophouses, and MRT construction projects, making the area look busy yet chaotic.

However, behind the seemingly ordinary office spaces, the authorities discovered different activities. As many as 321 foreign nationals (WNA) are suspected of running an international online gambling operation from one of the building’s floors.

The raid was carried out by a joint team from Bareskrim Polri and Polda Metro Jaya on Thursday (7/5/2026). From the location, the police uncovered allegations of operations for 75 online gambling sites run in a structured manner.

In a video recording released by Humas Polri, the office room is filled with rows of computers and work desks. Hundreds of foreign operators are seen sitting in rows, wearing casual clothing from t-shirts and hoodies to shorts.

When the authorities entered, the situation was already under control. The computer screens were turned off, while the operators sat still with their hands bound by yellow cable ties. Some bowed their heads, some covered their faces, and others simply stared blankly ahead.

At several points, fully armed Brimob personnel stood guard. Bareskrim investigators then secured evidence including computers, laptops, mobile phones, passports, and cash in various foreign currencies.

“The perpetrators were caught red-handed. In other words, the perpetrators were carrying out operations or activities related to online gambling,” said Wira.

Based on preliminary examinations, the online gambling network had only been operating in the building for about two months. The foreign operators are said to live around the office location.

“They mostly live in the areas surrounding this tower,” Wira stated.

According to him, the office was indeed used exclusively for online gambling operations and not as a residence.

“So, upstairs it’s purely used for the operations of online gambling activities,” he continued.

The presence of hundreds of foreign nationals in the building had previously raised suspicions among local residents, leading to reports to the authorities.

Of the 321 WNA secured, 275 have been designated as suspects. The rest are still undergoing further examination to determine their involvement.