Officers from the Batam Immigration Office raid a suspected international scam syndicate operating at Baloi View Apartment in Batam. (Photo: Batam Immigration Office)

Around 200 foreigners detained over suspected online scam operation, say Batam authorities

Indonesian authorities say those rounded up are mostly Chinese nationals, with the rest from the Philippines and Vietnam. They were reportedly involved in illegal activities such as romance scams and phishing schemes.

08 May 2026, 07:25 · CNA · Join

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BATAM: Indonesian authorities have detained about 200 foreigners - most of them Chinese nationals - after raiding a Batam apartment complex allegedly used for cross-border online scam operations.

Immigration officers carried out the pre-dawn raid at Baloi View Apartment, which also functions as a hotel, on Wednesday (May 6).

Most of those rounded up are Chinese nationals, while the rest are from the Philippines and Vietnam, said Guntur Sahat Hamonangan, head of the Riau Islands Immigration Office.

“The preliminary figure is around 200 people (detained) but the exact figure is still being verified,” he said on Wednesday, as quoted by local news outlet Kompas.

Those nabbed are suspected of carrying out illegal activities, such as romance scams, online gambling and e-commerce phishing, which uses deceptive links to obtain users’ data, the Jakarta Post reported.

Officers also seized hundreds of electronic devices, including mobile phones, laptops, network equipment and portable servers.

Access to the premises has been blocked off as authorities investigate the case, the Jakarta Post reported.

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Authorities are also probing the possible involvement of a syndicate allegedly controlled by local business figures.

According to the Jakarta Post, activities at Baloi View Apartment were allegedly controlled by two individuals identified as AL and WL from Tanjung Pinang and Batam respectively.

Both are said to have a track record in Cambodia, where scam compounds have proliferated in recent years.

The Jakarta Post report also cited a local businessman identified as AX, believed to have an extensive business network in Batam, as potentially connected to the case.

Authorities have yet to confirm the alleged links and said investigations are ongoing to determine each party’s role and identify the mastermind behind the network.

“We will provide complete information once everything has been properly verified,” Batam Immigration Office head Wahyu Eka Putra said on Wednesday, adding that the case involves coordination with multiple agencies.

“We are grateful for the strong synergy with the Batam police.”

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