Malaysians Among Over 100 Foreigners Detained In Bali For Visa Fraud & Cybercrime
In photos released by the Indonesian authorities, the detained Malaysians and others were lined up on the ground outside a villa in Tabanan.
By Sadho Ram — 28 Jun 2024, 11:36 AM
Authorities in Indonesia have detained 103 foreign nationals from China, Taiwan, and Malaysia for alleged cybercrime and visa violations
The 103 foreigners were arrested by a joint team during a surprise inspection on Wednesday, 26 June.
According to Tabanan police spokesperson Iptu I Gusti Made Berata, they raided Villa Haty Indah in Banjar Batan Wani, Kukuh Village, Marga district, Tabanan Regency through the Bali Becik Surveillance operation.
The authorities found a total of 2,500 mobile phones of various brands, as well as hundreds of computers.
From the initial interrogation carried out during the raid, it was discovered that 14 of them were Taiwanese citizens, with the remaining 89 hailing from China and Malaysia, reported Bali Post.
In photos released by the Indonesian authorities, the detained Malaysians and others were lined up on the ground outside the villa
The photos showed the detained foreign nationals lying on their stomachs next to a swimming pool and the three-story villa. All of them are currently being held at a detention centre in Denpasar, Bali.
"They are suspected of not having documents and misuse of immigration permits. Currently, the possibility of cybercrime is being investigated based on the number of computers and cellphones found at the scene," the Associated Press quoted immigration director general Silmy Karim as saying yesterday, 27 June.
Meanwhile, Bali Express reported that Villa Haty Indah belonged to a man named Bob, who is from Turkey. However, the villa is managed by his girlfriend, named Asdianti.
According to the Indonesian authorities, surprise inspections and raids are now a routine nationwide to combat crimes perpetrated by foreigners
They plan to carry out another joint operation to monitor foreign nationals in Bali and ensure that foreigners are staying on the tourist island under regulations, as well as to maintain order and security.
According to the Associated Press, the raid comes after more than 40 Indonesian agencies, including the ministry overseeing immigration, were impacted by a cyberattack on the country's data centres.
