Three Foreign Nationals Arrested Over Pornographic Video Using Ride-Hailing Jacket in Bali
The internet was recently stirred by a pornographic video featuring a purported online ride-hailing driver in Bali. The Criminal Investigation Unit of Badung Police, in collaboration with Ngurah Rai Immigration, ultimately apprehended three foreign nationals (WNA), including both the performers and the individual orchestrating the video production.
“In this case, we have identified three perpetrators. This activity was carried out with the modus operandi and motivation of earning profit from pornographic video and content,” said Badung Police Chief AKBP Joseph Edward Purba at a press conference at his office on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.
The three individuals formally identified as suspects are MMZL, a French woman; NBS, an Italian man; and ERB, a French man. MMZL and NBS were the performers in the video, whilst ERB served as manager and uploaded the content to adult platforms.
Police revealed that the use of ride-hailing attributes was purely intended to generate sensation and ensure the content gained rapid widespread attention. Suspect NBS purchased a jacket from a shop for approximately Rp 300,000 (USD 20) to lead the public into believing he was a genuine ride-hailing driver.
“So to attract attention or to make it go viral, he used a ride-hailing jacket. So the Italian citizen [who wore it] is not a local,” Joseph explained.
The arrests began when the cyber team conducted profiling of the viral video, suspected to have been produced within the jurisdiction of Badung Police on Friday, 13 March 2026. Police subsequently questioned an actual ride-hailing driver whose services were frequently used by suspect MMZL for transportation whilst in Bali.
This driver was also frequently accused by internet users of being the video performer, having regularly transported the perpetrators whilst wearing his jacket. The two had even collaborated on creating humorous content related to ride-hailing on social media through the driver’s account, @ojolmagank.
“The Criminal Investigation Unit of Badung Police conducted profiling concerning viral video content containing pornographic material on social media. Subsequently, the Criminal Investigation Unit interrogated a ride-hailing driver witness who had previously created content together with the suspected perpetrator,” Joseph stated.
After obtaining the perpetrators’ identities, police coordinated with Immigration authorities and detected MMZL and NBS attempting to flee the country. Both were apprehended at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport without resistance, followed by the arrest of the manager, ERB, in the Canggu area of Kuta Utara, Badung, on Monday, 16 March 2026.
“We received information that two suspected perpetrators intended to depart Bali Province by air. Subsequently, the suspected perpetrators were secured and brought to Badung Police Station for further proceedings,” Joseph concluded.