Directorate General of Immigration to Deport 13 Japanese Nationals Involved in Online Scamming This Week
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Directorate General of Immigration under the Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services has scheduled the deportation of 13 Japanese foreign nationals involved in online scamming in Sentul City, Bogor Regency, West Java, this week.
“For the 13 Japanese foreign nationals conducting scamming in Bogor, they will be deported on the 15th of this month (April),” said Head of the Immigration Directorate’s Subdirectorate of Supervision, Arief Eka Riyanto, in Jakarta on Monday.
The arrest of the 13 Japanese foreign nationals was carried out by the Directorate General of Immigration through the Bogor Class I Non-TPI Immigration Office on 2 March 2026 during immigration supervision activities in Babakan Madang Subdistrict.
The intelligence and enforcement team from the Bogor Immigration Office secured the 13 Japanese foreign nationals suspected of conducting organised online scamming activities.
The 13 Japanese foreign nationals were secured from three different houses in the Sentul City area. Based on examination results, the perpetrators are suspected of running scamming operations targeting Japanese victims located in Indonesia.
In their actions, the perpetrators disguised themselves as Japanese police officers.
Based on immigration document checks, one of them entered Indonesia using a visa on arrival. Meanwhile, the other 12 used visit visas with D12 index, intended for pre-investment activities.
The 13 Japanese foreign nationals are suspected of misusing the residence permits granted by engaging in activities not in line with the visa issuance purpose.
The modus operandi of the online scamming syndicate included posing as officials from Japanese telecommunications service providers. They then intimidated victims through phone calls and video calls using the LINE application.
Victims were then directed to access a fake website displaying an arrest warrant purportedly issued by Japanese authorities, before being asked to show financial data, liquidate investments, and transfer large sums of money.
The perpetrators violated Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration.
According to Arief, the deportation process will be publicised to the wider public through social media and press releases.
“Their repatriation process will be escorted by immigration officers and accompanied by Japanese immigration officers,” he said.
In addition, during Operation Wirawaspada 2026, conducted from 7 to 11 April, the Directorate General of Immigration also apprehended 346 foreign nationals violating immigration rules, 13 of whom were Japanese, with the rest comprising 183 from China, 21 from Pakistan, and 20 from Nigeria.
The 13 Japanese foreign nationals caught in Operation Wirawaspada 2026 are currently undergoing examination by the Directorate General of Immigration.