ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia has launched one of its largest-ever crackdowns on transnational online gambling, dismantling an international syndicate that allegedly operated 145 online betting websites, processed an estimated IDR13.9 trillion (around US$850 million) in player deposits, and laundered billions of rupiah through luxury assets and domestic financial networks.
The sweeping operation, led by the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian National Police, underscores the country’s escalating campaign against cross-border cybercrime, money laundering, and organized digital gambling syndicates operating across Southeast Asia.
Authorities said the investigation has uncovered two interconnected cases involving international operators, Indonesian facilitators, and hundreds of foreign nationals allegedly working inside the criminal network.
In one case, investigators from the Directorate of Special Economic Crimes identified a suspect, identified only by the initials LT, as the alleged mastermind behind an online gambling operation that had been active since 2022.
According to police, LT managed the organization like a legitimate corporation, employing 17 staff members—including managers, administrators, operators, and auditors—from a base in Cambodia. The syndicate operated gambling platforms known as CIVICTOTO and JALUTOTO, offering online slot games, lottery betting, and virtual casino services while using Indonesian bank accounts to process financial transactions.
Police estimate the operation generated IDR200–300 million (US$12,000–18,000) in monthly profits, allowing LT to accumulate approximately IDR3 billion over three years.
Investigators allege the proceeds were subsequently laundered through purchases of high-value assets, including cash, premium motorcycles, real estate, gold bullion, and luxury fashion accessories.
Authorities also froze bank accounts allegedly linked to the operation containing more than IDR3.5 billion.
LT has been formally charged under Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions Law, the Criminal Code, and the Anti-Money Laundering Law. Prosecutors have declared the case trial-ready, with the suspect facing up to nine years in prison and fines of up to IDR2 billion if convicted.
Meanwhile, a separate investigation by Bareskrim’s Directorate of General Crimes exposed what police describe as one of Southeast Asia’s largest online gambling hubs operating from Hayam Wuruk Plaza Tower in West Jakarta.
Police said the organization managed 145 gambling websites, rotating domains and using overseas servers to evade government blocking measures.
Digital forensic analysis revealed that one of the platforms alone handled approximately IDR13.9 trillion (US$850 million) in deposits, highlighting the enormous scale of the illicit enterprise.
Investigators have so far named 287 foreign nationals as criminal suspects out of 322 individuals detained during the operation. The suspects include citizens of Vietnam, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Laos, while investigations continue into the remaining detainees.
Police have also arrested four Indonesian nationals accused of facilitating the network.
According to investigators, the Indonesian suspects allegedly handled financial administration, secured office space used as the syndicate’s operational headquarters, supplied bank accounts and ATM cards for transaction processing, converted gambling proceeds into cryptocurrency, and assisted foreign operatives with immigration documentation.
Working alongside Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), investigators seized approximately Rp8.5 billion from domestic bank accounts connected to the syndicate. Authorities also confiscated foreign currencies—including U.S. dollars, Malaysian ringgit, and Japanese yen—worth an additional IDR245 million.
The raids yielded an extensive cache of digital evidence, including 594 mobile phones, 382 laptops, 179 desktop computers and monitors, 11 Mac Mini computers, along with networking equipment allegedly used to run the gambling operation.
Police believe the syndicate relocated parts of its operations to Indonesia following intensified law enforcement crackdowns against online gambling compounds in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Malaysia.
Authorities are continuing to pursue another foreign suspect, identified only as LTH, who is believed to have maintained direct links with senior figures overseeing the organization from abroad.
The investigation reflects Indonesia’s growing efforts to combat transnational cyber-enabled financial crime, with authorities emphasizing that they will continue tracing illicit financial flows, confiscating criminal assets, and pursuing those responsible across international jurisdictions. (AT Network)
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