22 arrested over alleged online gambling operation in Indonesia
Authorities say a multi-million dollar network used cryptocurrency-based money laundering.
Indonesia.- Authorities have arrested 22 people allegedly connected to an extensive online gambling syndicate with servers based in China and Cambodia. The group, behind gambling platforms Akasia899 and Tanjung899, reportedly generated illicit profits exceeding IDR20bn (US$1.2m) in under a year.
The Directorate of General Crimes at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) oversaw arrests in Bogor, Bekasi, Tangerang, and Denpasar. The suspects include alleged server managers, financial administrators, and operators who coordinated their efforts through encrypted WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
To promote their illegal websites, the group is said to have exploited thousands of pre-registered SIM cards to create hundreds of WhatsApp accounts daily. These were used to broadcast massive volumes of promotional messages offering “easy deposits” and “guaranteed winnings,” targeting millions of Indonesian users.
Police said the syndicate funnelled gambling proceeds through nominee bank accounts and cryptocurrency transactions, disguising them as payments for goods to avoid detection. “Every day, an operator could create up to 500 WhatsApp accounts,” said Brigadier General Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro, Director of General Crimes at Bareskrim. “They were aggressively pushing these gambling messages nationwide.”
Authorities seized 354 mobile phones, 23 computer CPUs, 2,648 SIM cards, 18 ATM cards, a modem and one vehicle. The suspects are being charged under Indonesia’s Criminal Code for gambling, the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, and the Money Laundering Law. They face combined penalties of up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching IDR1bn (over US$61,000).
