Illegal Hajj Syndicate: 8 Agents Using Work Visas Since 2024

The Hajj Task Force has dismantled an illegal hajj pilgrimage syndicate that has operated 127 times since 2024. Director of Specific Crimes at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Moh Irhamni, stated that a total of eight agents have been involved in sending citizens illegally. They were examined on 18 April 2026. “Eight individuals are suspected of conducting illegal hajj activities. They have carried out 127 illegal hajj operations since 2024,” he told reporters at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency on Thursday (30/4). He explained that these agents sent Indonesian citizens (WNI) who wished to perform hajj using work visas rather than hajj visas. “They recruit our citizens, Indonesian people, to be sent on illegal hajj under the guise of work visas,” he clarified. Irhamni noted that among the eight, one is the mastermind or provider of administration responsible for preparing the illegal visas and other documents. However, he has not yet disclosed details about their identities as investigations are ongoing. Irhamni only confirmed that these eight individuals are not part of the three WNI arrested by security forces in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Irhamni said his side is also conducting in-depth investigations to determine if any companies or hajj travel agencies are involved. “Any companies or entities sending them will be pursued immediately, and the perpetrators will be examined and chased down,” he stated. Previously, the National Police Headquarters and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) formed the Hajj Task Force to protect prospective pilgrims from illegal hajj practices and scams. The agreement to establish the Hajj Task Force was signed by Deputy Chief of Police Commissioner General Dedi Prasetyo and Deputy Minister of Hajj Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak on Thursday (9/4). Dedi said the formation of the Task Force aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s instructions to provide comprehensive protection for Indonesian hajj and umrah pilgrims. He mentioned that the Hajj Task Force will be responsible for socialisation, prevention, and legal enforcement against scammers and illegal hajj operators.