Indonesia’s Success in Thwarting an International Online Gambling Operation and Saving Billions of Rupiah
By: M. Syahrul Fahmi
The success of Indonesian law enforcement officers in dismantling an international online gambling network affiliated with Chinese and Cambodian syndicates deserves widespread appreciation from all levels of society. The simultaneous operations carried out by the Directorate of General Crimes (Dittipidum) of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) demonstrate that the country will not remain silent in the face of cross-border digital crimes that undermine the nation’s social and economic order. The firmness in legal action sends a strong message that Indonesia will not be a breeding ground for global criminals, including those hiding behind the guise of technology.
The Director of General Crimes at the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro, explained that the raids were carried out simultaneously in three strategic locations: the Cibubur Country housing complex (Bogor), two houses in Jatirahayu (Bekasi), and the Villa Tangerang Regency Baru housing complex (Tangerang). These three locations served as promotional operations centers for the online gambling sites Akasia899 and Tanjung899, whose servers were located overseas. The arrested perpetrators acted as promotional agents, using registered SIM cards to randomly send gambling advertising messages to thousands of WhatsApp users. Their actions were not only disturbing but also threatened young people who were vulnerable to the destructive influence of gambling.
The uncovered data shows that this syndicate was highly systematic and organized. At least 2,648 mobile phone numbers were recorded as being used to send broadcast messages, and each perpetrator was capable of creating up to 500 WhatsApp accounts per day as a marketing tool. This digital crime scheme demonstrated a high technical capacity with the potential to target millions of Indonesians simultaneously. Beyond just promotions, communication between local operators and network hubs in China and Cambodia took place through Telegram and WhatsApp groups to share customer data and daily revenue reports, which were then disguised as money laundering practices.
One method used to conceal illicit fund flows is by recording transactions through accounts in other people’s names (nominees), and using cryptocurrency that is disbursed through payment gateways. The funds appear to originate from the sale of goods, but in fact, they originate from illegal online gambling practices. The profits generated from this scheme reached hundreds of billions of rupiah in less than a year. This fact reinforces the importance of monitoring digital transactions and the involvement of other agencies such as the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemenkomdigi) to close gaps in the national digital financial system.
Meanwhile, firm action was also taken in eastern Indonesia. The Bali Regional Police successfully arrested a personal data collection syndicate aimed at supplying information to an online gambling network in Cambodia. The Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the Bali Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Ranefli Dian Candra, explained that the group was controlled by a perpetrator named Constantin and five associates who had been operating since September 2024. The method used was to collect data on low-income citizens and then open accounts in their names to sell to overseas networks.
This syndicate targeted economically disadvantaged individuals, such as online motorcycle taxi drivers, shopkeepers, and daily laborers. They were persuaded to provide personal data in exchange for cash, unaware that their identities were being used for illegal cross-border transactions. From the hundreds of accounts they collected, the syndicate is estimated to have raked in billions of rupiah in profits. This case illustrates how digital crime not only targets systems but also manipulates social conditions for criminal gain.
The authorities’ success in thwarting these two major operations demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting the public from the dangers of online gambling. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of synergy between law enforcement agencies and related institutions in combating increasingly complex transnational crime. In today’s era of digital transformation, such hard work is not only about security but also about national resilience.
The government, through its security forces, has demonstrated a swift, decisive, and measured response. Disclosing these cases not only mitigates economic losses but also safeguards the nation’s morale and social fabric from the damage caused by online gambling. Online gambling is not only a violation of the law, but also erodes the values of productivity and ethics of society, especially the younger generation who are the main targets of promotion.
