Thirteen People Named as Suspects in Illegal Hajj Case, 320 Victims in Total
Thirteen people have been named as suspects in a case involving non-procedural or illegal Hajj pilgrimages, according to the Police’s Hajj Enforcement Task Force (Satgas Haji) in 2026. The designation of the suspects followed investigations into 11 Police Reports (Laporan Polisi, LP) and 21 Information Reports (Laporan Informasi, LI). ‘Thirteen suspects have been named. From the handling of the case, the number of victims reached 320 people with total losses to the public amounting to Rp10,025,000,000,’ said Public Relations Director General (Kadiv Humas) of the Police, Insp. Gen. Johnny Eddizon Isir, in a statement on Tuesday, 19 May.
“Beyond law enforcement, the Hajj Task Force also continues to monitor departure points. On Friday 15 May, the Hajj Task Force succeeded in preventing the departure of 32 Indonesian citizens who were non-procedural pilgrims at Terminal 2 of Soekarno–Hatta International Airport. ‘Prevention was conducted by the Bandara Soekarno-Hatta Police together with the airport Immigration Office after finding indications of travel routes that did not comply with the regulations,’ Johnny said.”
“According to early investigations, the Indonesian citizens said they would travel on a sightseeing trip to Hainan Province, People’s Republic of China, using a Batik Air flight on the Jakarta–Singapore route. However, immigration officials’ checks revealed that 31 people held Saudi work visas with a single-entry validity of 90 days.”
“‘Further investigations found five people admitted they would undertake the pilgrimage through certain routes, while others claimed the trip was for tourism,’ Johnny added. ‘One person was identified as tour leader and simultaneously the operational manager of the travel agency FEIGO that organised the trip.’”
“From their possession, 32 Indonesian passports, 32 Jakarta–Singapore flight boarding passes, and 31 Saudi work visas were seized for further investigation.”
“According to Johnny, the approach prioritises prevention from the outset so that the public will not become victims of illegal practices that could cause financial losses or hamper the conduct of the pilgrimage.”
“Johnny also urged the public to ensure the legality of the travel organiser, the type of visa used, and all departure documents comply with government regulations and the regulations of Saudi authorities.”
“‘We remind the public not to be easily enticed by offers of rapid departure via unofficial channels. Ensure all documents and departure mechanisms comply with the rules for safety, legal protection, and the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage. Do not let the intention to worship be exploited by parties seeking to profit through fraud,’ he concluded.”