International Scamming Syndicate Busted in Surabaya, 41 Foreign Nationals as Suspects

The Surabaya Metropolitan Police, together with the National Police’s International Relations Division, have uncovered an international cybercrime scamming network involving dozens of foreign nationals, accompanied by the kidnapping of two Japanese citizens.

Surabaya Metropolitan Police Chief, Commissioner Luthfie Sulistiawan, revealed that the operation began with a report from the Consulate General of the Japanese Embassy in Surabaya, indicating that one of their nationals had been abducted and held captive at a location in Surabaya.

“It started with a complaint received by the Surabaya Metropolitan Police, where the complainant, a staff member from the Japanese Embassy Consulate in Surabaya, reported information about a Japanese national suspected of being kidnapped and held captive, believed to be in the Surabaya area,” Luthfie said at the Surabaya Metropolitan Police Headquarters on Friday (8/5).

After receiving the report, the team quickly moved to the first crime scene on Jalan Dharma Husada Permai VII in Surabaya. At the location, police found two Japanese victims in captivity.

The two Japanese nationals claimed they were lured by promises of work in Thailand. However, they were instead brought to Surabaya to serve as scamming operators. Fortunately, one of the victims managed to send her location to her husband before her phone was confiscated by the perpetrators.

“They were initially deceived with promises of working as waitstaff and operators in Thailand. But they never went there. Instead, they were sent to Jakarta, to Indonesia, and then picked up by vehicle to Surabaya,” he said.

The scheme was uncovered because one Japanese victim grew suspicious upon arriving in Indonesia. She contacted her husband and eventually reported to the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya.

Furthermore, at the house, police not only rescued the victims but also found strong indications that the house was a headquarters for international-scale online fraud or scamming. Police arrested three Chinese nationals, four other Japanese nationals, and two Indonesian nationals.

Subsequently, from interrogating an Indonesian national with initials E, who had been renting the house since September 2024, police discovered a second crime scene on Jalan Embong Kenongo in Surabaya.

“We conducted interrogation and further investigation, revealing another crime scene in Surabaya on Jalan Embong Kenongo No 24. The team moved to the location, but it was already empty. Based on E’s statements, 32 Chinese foreign nationals had previously lived and operated scamming activities there,” he said.

Realising their hideout was being pursued by police, the perpetrators attempted to flee and scattered to six hotels in Surabaya, gathering at Kaza Mall in Surabaya. The police pursuit yielded results, arresting 19 foreign nationals at the mall: 17 Chinese and two Taiwanese.

Police then proceeded to the third crime scene on Jalan Raya Darmo Permai I No 79 in Surabaya. However, the house was found empty.

But the investigation did not stop in Surabaya. Police detected the whereabouts of the network leader with initials Y, who attempted to flee and was eventually captured at a rest area on the Bawen-Semarang route.

The development continued to a house on Jalan Yosodipuro in Surakarta, Central Java. Although the location was empty, police found 24 suitcases belonging to the perpetrators left behind.

The perpetrators’ flight ended in Bali. A joint team successfully apprehended five Taiwanese nationals and six Chinese nationals who were part of the same syndicate. To date, the total number of detained foreign suspects has reached 44.

“As of now, the number of foreign suspects we have arrested and detained is 44. We are continuing to investigate, and every piece of information we obtain will be followed up to eradicate this network,” he stated.

Head of the Transnational and International Crime Section (Kabag Jatranin/Jatinter) of the Indonesian Interpol NCB, International Relations Division of the National Police, Commissioner Ricky Purnama, explained that the syndicate operated very professionally. They designed rooms to resemble police offices, complete with badges, uniforms, and fake most-wanted lists to intimidate victims via video calls.

“The perpetrators prepared booths with pre-recorded voices meticulously, and the equipment at the crime scenes mimicked a police office with images of most-wanted lists, police photos that appeared to be officers, and they even used police uniforms,” Ricky said.

The victims, mostly abroad such as in Japan and China, were threatened with accusations of involvement in money laundering crimes. One victim in Japan reportedly suffered losses exceeding Rp800 million.

“For example, one victim incurred losses of Rp834,745,000 when converted to rupiah,” he said.

The police are currently coordinating with Japanese, Chinese, and US police to trace potential additional victims. Ricky assured that the perpetrators will be prosecuted in Indonesia.

“As long as the evidence is sufficient and can be proven, the Metropolitan Police is committed to proceeding with this case to trial with the assistance of prosecutors in Indonesia, in Surabaya,” he said.

In this case, police have designated a total of 44 suspects from various nationalities. The network is dominated by 30 Chinese nationals, followed by 7 Taiwanese, 4 Japanese, and others.