Police: Hayam Wuruk Online Gambling Den Similar to Operations in Cambodia and Myanmar
The Indonesian National Police have stated that the online gambling base in Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta, exhibits similar activities to those in Cambodia and Myanmar. Brigadier General Wira Satya Triputra, Director of General Crimes at the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), said the base was uncovered following a public tip-off. “After a series of investigations, information was obtained regarding suspected cross-border online gambling operations, which is almost the same as in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar,” Wira said during a press conference on Friday (26/6).
Based on the investigation, the syndicate is suspected of relocating its operations to Indonesia after authorities in Myanmar and Cambodia began conducting massive crackdowns. “Why did this happen? Considering that massive enforcement has been carried out in those countries, the online gambling network tried to move its operational activities to Indonesia,” Wira stated.
From the base in Hayam Wuruk, the syndicate was found to be managing 145 online gambling websites operated alternately by foreign nationals. They deliberately rotated the sites to avoid blocking by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi). “After careful investigation and tracing, information was obtained that the IP addresses and server hosts are located abroad, including in Brazil, the Philippines, China, and Vietnam,” Wira said.
In addition to operating the gambling sites, the syndicate also promoted them and managed the collected finances. “The activities were carried out through various means, including promotion via social media, the use of nominee accounts, and the utilisation of digital assets and USDT tokens to purchase cryptocurrency. This was used for transactions and to disguise the illegal activities as a technology and digital marketing company,” Wira explained.
Bareskrim Polri has named 287 foreign nationals as suspects in this case. Deputy Chief of Bareskrim, Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, stated that a total of 322 foreign nationals were arrested, with 35 individuals still under further investigation. “So out of the 322, 287 have been named as suspects, comprising 76 Chinese nationals, three Laotians, two Malaysians, 15 Myanmar nationals, six Thais, and 185 Vietnamese,” he said during the press conference. In addition to the foreign nationals, police also revealed the involvement of four Indonesian citizens in the case. The four individuals, with the initials MAP, BT, DFA, and DA, have also been named as suspects.