Surabaya Immigration Authorities Thwart Departure of 18 Illegal Hajj Pilgrims
Officers from the Class I Special Immigration Office TPI Surabaya have thwarted the departure of 18 Indonesian citizens suspected of attempting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage through illegal or non-procedural means via Juanda International Airport. These prospective pilgrims were intercepted during a period of intensive surveillance conducted between 1 and 8 May 2026.
In addition to tightening oversight on potential violations, immigration authorities under the Surabaya Embarkation command also successfully managed the departure of 37,179 regular Hajj pilgrims through the official ‘Mecca Route’ fast-track system, concluding the final flight phase on Sunday (17/5).
The sharp instincts of Surabaya Immigration officers on the ground successfully identified various modus operandi used by perpetrators to deceive officials. To facilitate their illegal journey, the individuals attempted to use a transit flight route from Surabaya to Kuala Lumpur before continuing to Saudi Arabia.
The 18 Indonesian citizens consisted of 8 men and 10 women, originating from various regions including Bangkalan, Sampang, Banjarmasin, Kuala Kapuas, Semarang, Gunungkidul, and Bone.
“The suspects used various methods, ranging from pretending to be tourists in Malaysia to claiming they were returning to work in Saudi Arabia using iqomah (residency cards) and work visas,” said the Head of the Class I Special Immigration Office TPI Surabaya, Agus Winarto, on Monday (18/5).
However, their scheme was uncovered following in-depth interviews and profiling by officers. Some individuals openly admitted to paying massive sums, ranging from Rp200 million to Rp290 million, to illegal travel agents. These payments were intended to cover tickets, hotels, visas, and mandatory documents such as tasreh and nusuk, which, ironically, were only to be handed over upon arrival in Malaysia or Saudi Arabia.
Human surveillance at the airport was further bolstered by advanced, integrated digital immigration systems. Officers successfully detected one prospective pilgrim who was on the ‘Subject of Interest’ (SOI) list, having a prior record of being intercepted in a similar illegal Hajj attempt at Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
As a firm measure, the 18 Indonesian citizens were immediately sanctioned with departure delays and underwent thorough interrogation by immigration officials.
In contrast to the enforcement against illegal pilgrims, the departure process for legitimate regular Hajj pilgrims was significantly streamlined through the Mecca Route scheme. This facility, a result of synergy between the Indonesian Government and Saudi Arabia, allows Saudi immigration checks to be conducted directly at the Surabaya Embarkation, bypassing the need for queues upon arrival at the destination airport.
The final phase of these official departures concluded on 17 May with Groups 98 and 99 from Jember and Lumajang being flown directly to Medina.
Surabaya Immigration has issued a stern warning to the public against being enticed by offers of ‘instant Hajj’ through unofficial channels. Beyond the risk of severe legal consequences and deportation by Saudi authorities, these non-procedural routes are highly susceptible to fraud and massive financial loss.