The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office has detained 17 foreign nationals, including 15 Malaysians and two Singaporean citizens, suspected of misusing their residence permits to operate an online lending business in the Dalung area of North Kuta, Bali, on Thursday, the 22nd of October.
The discovery followed an independent immigration operation conducted by the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, during which officers identified a location allegedly being used as a base for the group’s online personal lending activities.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the operation was highly organised, with responsibilities divided among three managers and 14 administrators. The group promoted its lending services through advertisements on Facebook, which directed potential clients to various WhatsApp numbers.
During their operations, the foreign nationals collected extensive personal data from prospective borrowers, including employment details, payslips, emergency contact information, and other personal information. Initial inquiries suggest that the lending business specifically targeted other foreign nationals. To date, no Indonesian citizens have been identified as clients.
The Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Muhamad Novyandri, stated that all 17 individuals were being held at the immigration office’s detention facility pending further investigation. They are suspected of engaging in activities inconsistent with the terms of their residence permits and providing false information when applying for visas and residence permits.
“We are currently examining these 17 foreign nationals. Naturally, we will not tolerate any foreign nationals who misuse their residence permits or work illegally in Indonesia. We will process them in accordance with the regulations,” Novyandri stated.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, Ramdhani, emphasised that monitoring the presence and activities of foreign nationals would continue to be strengthened, particularly in Bali’s tourism areas.
“We fully support high-quality and sustainable tourism in Bali. However, there is no room for foreign nationals who misuse their residence permits, break the law, or engage in activities that could damage Bali’s tourism image. We also encourage the public to be proactive in reporting any suspicious activities involving foreign nationals,” Ramdhani said as well.