World
More than 500 foreigners detained for gambling fraud intend to re-examine the Southeast Asia visa exemption policy, and the visa exemption channel is suspected to be an ash entrance
The Indonesian government recently said it would re-evaluate its 30-day visa-free entry policy for citizens of Southeast Asian countries.The reason is that Indonesia has recently cracked a number of online gambling and telecommunications fraud cases, and a large number of foreigners involved have been found to enter Indonesia through visa-free methods, which has raised concerns about immigration management loopholes.
According to the Indonesian Immigration Department on May 13, 2026, Indonesian law enforcement agencies launched two rounds of large-scale raids in the capital Jakarta and the island of Batam in the Riau Islands province last week, focusing on illegal online gambling centers and cross-border fraud dens.
Cumulatively, more than 500 foreigners were detained in both operations.The detainees are mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, where citizens can currently enter Indonesia visa-free and stay for up to 30 days.
In addition, some Chinese nationals were also involved in the case, but Chinese nationals are not covered by Indonesia's current Southeast Asia visa exemption policy.
Indonesian Immigration Director General Hendarsam said that the recent increase in foreigners participating in illegal activities such as online gambling and fraud has caused great concern to the government.
He pointed out that some foreigners from visa-free countries do not engage in tourism or normal business activities after entering Indonesia, but directly participate in illegal industries such as online gambling and electric fraud. Investigators further found that many of the illegal online gambling sites destroyed in Jakarta were entered visa-free or applied for short-term entry permits after arriving in Indonesia.
The Indonesian authorities believe that this means that the visa-free policy originally designed to promote tourism and regional economic exchanges is being used by some transnational ash-producing gangs and has gradually evolved into a low-cost, low-threshold illegal entry channel.
In order to strengthen control, Indonesia's immigration department said that it would not rule out tightening the entry policy of citizens of some countries in the future, and strengthen the review of the purpose of entry and stay activities of foreigners.
Indonesia's immigration department also revealed that more than 6,700 immigration administrative measures have been implemented nationwide in recent weeks alone, including more than 2,000 cases of deportation and cancellation of residence permits.
At present, the investigation is still expanding, and law enforcement agencies are continuing to track down the transnational gambling and fraud networks behind it.
According to the Indonesian Immigration Department on May 13, 2026, Indonesian law enforcement agencies launched two rounds of large-scale raids in the capital Jakarta and the island of Batam in the Riau Islands province last week, focusing on illegal online gambling centers and cross-border fraud dens.
Cumulatively, more than 500 foreigners were detained in both operations.The detainees are mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, where citizens can currently enter Indonesia visa-free and stay for up to 30 days.
In addition, some Chinese nationals were also involved in the case, but Chinese nationals are not covered by Indonesia's current Southeast Asia visa exemption policy.
Indonesian Immigration Director General Hendarsam said that the recent increase in foreigners participating in illegal activities such as online gambling and fraud has caused great concern to the government.
He pointed out that some foreigners from visa-free countries do not engage in tourism or normal business activities after entering Indonesia, but directly participate in illegal industries such as online gambling and electric fraud. Investigators further found that many of the illegal online gambling sites destroyed in Jakarta were entered visa-free or applied for short-term entry permits after arriving in Indonesia.
The Indonesian authorities believe that this means that the visa-free policy originally designed to promote tourism and regional economic exchanges is being used by some transnational ash-producing gangs and has gradually evolved into a low-cost, low-threshold illegal entry channel.
In order to strengthen control, Indonesia's immigration department said that it would not rule out tightening the entry policy of citizens of some countries in the future, and strengthen the review of the purpose of entry and stay activities of foreigners.
Indonesia's immigration department also revealed that more than 6,700 immigration administrative measures have been implemented nationwide in recent weeks alone, including more than 2,000 cases of deportation and cancellation of residence permits.
At present, the investigation is still expanding, and law enforcement agencies are continuing to track down the transnational gambling and fraud networks behind it.
The Indonesian government recently said it would re-evaluate its 30-day visa-free entry policy for citizens of Southeast Asian countries.The reason is that Indonesia has recently cracked a number of online gambling and telecommunications fraud cases, and a large number of foreigners involved have been found to enter Indonesia through visa-free methods, which has raised concerns about immigration management loopholes.
According to the Indonesian Immigration Department on May 13, 2026, Indonesian law enforcement agencies launched two rounds of large-scale raids in the capital Jakarta and the island of Batam in the Riau Islands province last week, focusing on illegal online gambling centers and cross-border fraud dens.
Cumulatively, more than 500 foreigners were detained in both operations.The detainees are mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, where citizens can currently enter Indonesia visa-free and stay for up to 30 days.
In addition, some Chinese nationals were also involved in the case, but Chinese nationals are not covered by Indonesia's current Southeast Asia visa exemption policy.
Indonesian Immigration Director General Hendarsam said that the recent increase in foreigners participating in illegal activities such as online gambling and fraud has caused great concern to the government.
He pointed out that some foreigners from visa-free countries do not engage in tourism or normal business activities after entering Indonesia, but directly participate in illegal industries such as online gambling and electric fraud. Investigators further found that many of the illegal online gambling sites destroyed in Jakarta were entered visa-free or applied for short-term entry permits after arriving in Indonesia.
The Indonesian authorities believe that this means that the visa-free policy originally designed to promote tourism and regional economic exchanges is being used by some transnational ash-producing gangs and has gradually evolved into a low-cost, low-threshold illegal entry channel.
In order to strengthen control, Indonesia's immigration department said that it would not rule out tightening the entry policy of citizens of some countries in the future, and strengthen the review of the purpose of entry and stay activities of foreigners.
Indonesia's immigration department also revealed that more than 6,700 immigration administrative measures have been implemented nationwide in recent weeks alone, including more than 2,000 cases of deportation and cancellation of residence permits.
At present, the investigation is still expanding, and law enforcement agencies are continuing to track down the transnational gambling and fraud networks behind it.
According to the Indonesian Immigration Department on May 13, 2026, Indonesian law enforcement agencies launched two rounds of large-scale raids in the capital Jakarta and the island of Batam in the Riau Islands province last week, focusing on illegal online gambling centers and cross-border fraud dens.
Cumulatively, more than 500 foreigners were detained in both operations.The detainees are mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, and Myanmar, where citizens can currently enter Indonesia visa-free and stay for up to 30 days.
In addition, some Chinese nationals were also involved in the case, but Chinese nationals are not covered by Indonesia's current Southeast Asia visa exemption policy.
Indonesian Immigration Director General Hendarsam said that the recent increase in foreigners participating in illegal activities such as online gambling and fraud has caused great concern to the government.
He pointed out that some foreigners from visa-free countries do not engage in tourism or normal business activities after entering Indonesia, but directly participate in illegal industries such as online gambling and electric fraud. Investigators further found that many of the illegal online gambling sites destroyed in Jakarta were entered visa-free or applied for short-term entry permits after arriving in Indonesia.
The Indonesian authorities believe that this means that the visa-free policy originally designed to promote tourism and regional economic exchanges is being used by some transnational ash-producing gangs and has gradually evolved into a low-cost, low-threshold illegal entry channel.
In order to strengthen control, Indonesia's immigration department said that it would not rule out tightening the entry policy of citizens of some countries in the future, and strengthen the review of the purpose of entry and stay activities of foreigners.
Indonesia's immigration department also revealed that more than 6,700 immigration administrative measures have been implemented nationwide in recent weeks alone, including more than 2,000 cases of deportation and cancellation of residence permits.
At present, the investigation is still expanding, and law enforcement agencies are continuing to track down the transnational gambling and fraud networks behind it.