Police Arrest Two Liberian Foreign Nationals in Black Dollar Scam

The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of Jakarta West Metro Police has dismantled a black dollar scam operation involving two foreign nationals from Liberia. The two perpetrators were arrested after defrauding a South Korean citizen on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.

Deputy Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police, Kompol Andaru Rahutomo, confirmed the arrests following the circulation of a video showing the raid on the suspects. In their scheme, the perpetrators convinced the victim that they possessed a special liquid capable of transforming black paper into genuine US dollar bills.

“We can explain that the individuals were secured for committing the crime of fraud against another foreign national from South Korea using the black dollar modus operandi,” said Andaru Rahutomo to reporters on Friday (27/3).

Andaru emphasised that the two suspects have been detained since the arrest on 18 March 2026 and are currently undergoing investigation at Jakarta West Metro Police. The investigation aims to delve deeper into the case details, including the operational modus operandi and the possibility of other involved parties.

“Regarding the case details and modus operandi, this is being explored by our colleagues at Jakarta West Satreskrim Police,” he stated.

The Deputy Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police said the case was reported on 8 March 2026. However, the fraudulent activities are suspected to have taken place much earlier, from September to December 2025. This is because the victim only realised the incident later and reported it to the police.

After conducting an investigation, the two perpetrators were arrested at a Korean restaurant in South Jakarta before being taken for further legal proceedings. Several pieces of evidence, including a suitcase containing a liquid, were also seized for the investigation.

Police have assured that they will provide updates on the case once the investigation is complete.