PPATK Reveals Money Laundering Mode Through E-Commerce Transactions

JAKARTA - The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) revealed the mode used to obscure the flow of money laundering funds (TPPU) through die-commerce transactions.

Acting Deputy for Analysis and Examination of PPATK Danang Tri Hartono explained that one example that had been found was through fictitious ordering on the online travel agency platform found in a remote area.

"This is without seeing the crime, so there is one hotel in a remote area, district, during the Covid-19 pandemic, there are billions of transactions, receiving from online ticket platforms," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 25.

Danang said, if examined from the number of rooms and the condition of the pandemic that was quiet, hotel revenue should not be large. Moreover, hotel booking transactions exceed the level of room occupancy.

PPATK also investigates hotel owners who receive funds and criminal cases that involve them.

"During the pandemic, it should be quiet (hotel occupancy), not many people, this transaction is big. We identify the owner of this hotel related to what crime, then send it for what purpose. And, detected," he said.

Although he did not clearly mention the case, Danang said that in order to be able to uncover these modes, there needs to be coordination with related parties, including the online ticket booking platform involved.

Therefore, PPATK also cooperates with the Indonesian E-Commerce Association (idEA) and the Ministry of Trade to trace the flow of money laundering transaction funds (TPPU) from e-commerce transactions.

PPATK is also investigating cases of theft or selling used imported clothes that have previously become a national concern. He also ensured that although tracing the flow of money laundering offenses in cases of theft, all suspicious transactions die-commerce will trace all suspicious transactions via online platforms.

"So it's not just the third direction that leads to money laundering offenses, but everything that passes through e-commerce. So we really embrace them to work together to reveal things like that," he said.

Danang said money laundering transactions with such a mode also occur on other online platforms, not only in online ticket bookings. Likewise, related crimes in these modes

He said state losses were not only material. In cases of money laundering related to drugs, for example, the impact is the damage to the nation's generation. Likewise, cases of theft or used-import clothes that have an impact on the loss of state revenue.

"So these various criminal acts can use e-commerce. We have conveyed the risks so that from the third, the possibility is very large in terms of taxes. If narcotics losses are not only material problems but can also harm the younger generation and corruption also damage the nation's generation. This is what we need to save," added Danang.