Police have arrested 92 Chinese and Taiwanese cyber crime suspects after allegedly forming a syndicate targeting other foreign nationals based in Indonesia.
West Java Police raided three separate residences in an elite residential complex in Surabaya on Saturday, July 29.
The international cyber crime syndicate suspects were flown to the Jakarta Regional Metropolitan Police the following day. During the flight to Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang the suspects were closely guarded by the Special Task Force of the Criminal Investigation Police.
Susatyo Purnomo, Head of the Surabaya Task Force, said the discovery of the 92 suspects is part of a larger operation between police in Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya. Launched by the Jakarta Regional Metropolitan Police, the task force will continue investigations into the suspects.
“They can obtain up to Rp.600 billion (US$45.02 million) just from one crime scene in Surabaya. Within several month, they succeeded in getting Rp.5.9 trillion (US$442.74 million) by deceiving their victims,” Purnomo said.
Purnomo said the syndicate began operations in January targeting Chinese nationals based in Indonesia. The group allegedly convinces victims they have been accused of being part of a criminal case, with other members of the group posing as police, prosecutors and judges. A ‘broker’ will then offer help to the victim for a fee.
Investigations are continuing, with police at this stage unable to determine how many victims have been targeted.
See: Taiwanese Nationals Arrested On Suspicion Of Cyber Crime Charges
Image credits: Kriminalitas
