Facts on Online Gambling Headquarters Raided in Hayam Wuruk, Jakarta
An office building in the Hayam Wuruk area, West Jakarta, was raided by police on Thursday (7/5). The raid was carried out by a joint team from the Directorate of General Criminal Acts (Dittipidum) and the NCB Interpol of Polri in connection with an international online gambling (judol) syndicate.
According to the Deputy Head of NCB Interpol Polri, Brigjen Untung Widyatmoko, the raid on the online gambling syndicate office involving foreign nationals (WNA) is a continuation of the uncovering of the same syndicate in Batam, Riau Islands, some time ago.
Here are the facts of the raid on the online gambling-related office in West Jakarta:
- 321 Foreign Nationals Arrested
At least 321 foreign nationals (WNA) were arrested by the police in the raid. The hundreds of WNA were apprehended for being affiliated with a network or syndicate of online gambling criminal acts.
“From the perpetrators we successfully secured, the number reached 321 people,” said the Head of Dittipidum Bareskrim Polri, Brigjen Wira Satya Triputra, during a press conference at the location on Saturday (9/5).
Wira said the 321 WNA come from several countries, dominated by Southeast Asia. The details are 57 Chinese nationals, 228 Vietnamese nationals, 11 Laotian nationals, 13 Myanmar nationals, 3 Malaysian nationals, 5 Thai nationals, and 3 Cambodian nationals.
“The perpetrators were caught red-handed, meaning the perpetrators were carrying out operational activities or online gambling activities,” Wira stated.
- Indonesia a Hub for Online Gambling for 2 Months
According to Wira, there are 75 servers or online gambling websites controlled by the perpetrators. In this raid, the police seized a number of pieces of evidence, from safes, passports, mobile phones, laptops, PCs, to cash in various currencies.
The perpetrators are said to have operated for two months in Hayam Wuruk. They used tourist stay permits for 30 days and exceeded the stay limit for the next 30 days.
The perpetrators are charged under Article 426 and/or Article 607 in conjunction with Article 20 and/or Article 21 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code and Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustment.
“Currently, the investigation team from the Directorate of General Criminal Acts of Bareskrim Polri has conducted intensive examinations of the perpetrators or those we have secured,” he said.
- Seized Rp1.9 Billion
Bareskrim Polri seized money worth Rp1.9 billion from the uncovering of this case. Wira said that in addition to rupiah, the police also seized foreign currency worth 53.82 million Vietnamese dong and US$10,210.
“This rupiah money is estimated to be around 1.9 something billion. Then the denominations, there is Vietnamese money 53,820,000, then dollar denominations of 10,210. That’s from the money denominations we successfully seized,” Wira said.
Wira assured that he will trace the flow of funds in the case and further investigate the servers or internet protocol addresses (IP) on the communication network of the online gambling sites.
- 275 Suspects
The police have designated 275 out of the 321 WNA as suspects in this case. Wira said the others are still under further investigation.
“For now, we have designated around 275 and the rest will be further investigated,” Wira said.
Wira explained that most of the arrested WNA already knew the purpose of being brought to Indonesia to work for an online gambling company.
According to him, the arrested WNA are the executors, not the masterminds of the international online gambling network.
“We will also coordinate with relevant stakeholders, in this case with PPATK, then with the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. This is for further development,” he said.