Batam Authorities Detain 200 Foreigners in Scam Raid
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Batam Immigration Office detained about 200 foreigners in a pre‑dawn raid on Baloi View Apartment on May 6.
- Baloi View Apartment functioned as a hotel‑apartment complex and was cleared, with authorities seizing hundreds of electronic devices, including phones, laptops, network gear and portable servers.
- Chinese nationals comprised the majority of those detained, with additional detainees from the Philippines and Vietnam.
- AL is identified as a Tanjung Pinang individual allegedly overseeing the scam compound, with a past record in Cambodia.
- WL is identified as a Batam individual allegedly overseeing the scam compound, also with a past record in Cambodia.
- AX is a local businessman with an extensive network in Batam and is suspected of being linked to the alleged syndicate.
Why it matters: The raid removes hundreds of perpetrators and their equipment, exposes possible collusion between foreign scammers and a Batam businessman, and highlights coordinated action across multiple agencies, underscoring Indonesia’s effort to combat transnational fraud; the operation also seized hundreds of electronic devices, further disrupting the scammers’ infrastructure.
Ask SkimNews
