BATAM - The Riau Islands Regional Police and Batam Customs have taken action against four perpetrators of illegal foreign exchange trading who brought money worth Rp7.79 billion without permission from Bank Indonesia to Singapore.
Kasubidt II Special Criminal Investigation Unit of the North Sumatra Police AKBP Indar Wahyu Dwi Septiawan said the four perpetrators who were arrested consisted of one money changer employee and three couriers from Jakarta.
"We have secured four people suspected of taking Indonesian rupiah out of Indonesia through the Harbour Bay International Ferry Port," said Indarsaat when releasing the disclosure of the case at the Kepri Police Headquarters, Batam, Monday, December 15.
He explained that from the results of the initial interrogation of the perpetrators, the money was taken to Singapore and was to be exchanged for Singapore dollars.
Based on the results of the investigators' investigation, the perpetrator came from the money changer PT VIT which is located in Jakarta. The perpetrators have initials CA, LS, HK, and R (a housewife).
"The perpetrator CA was ordered by R as the President Director of PT VIT to bring Rp95 million, LS brought Rp2.7 billion, HK brought Rp2.5 billion, and R brought Rp2.5 billion," he said.
The perpetrators carried the money of Rp7.79 billion from Jakarta to Batam, to be taken to Singapore via the Harbour Bay International Ferry Port on December 11, 2025.
"The modus operandi is that they bring rupiah money out of Indonesia and exchange it without permission, then the money is distributed in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia without permission from law enforcement officers and BI as a foreign exchange supervisor," he said.
The money was carried in denominations of Rp100 thousand with 77 thousand pieces and denominations of Rp50 thousand with 1,900 pieces. The money was carried using several suitcases.
From the results of the examination, the perpetrator admitted that he had done the same thing twice. The first delivery was made directly from Jakarta to Singapore.
The perpetrators were hired to bring the money out of Indonesia ranging from Rp2 million to Rp7 million per suitcase.
Indar said the case had been referred to the Batam Customs because it violated customs regulations.
Head of Enforcement and Investigation, Batam Customs, Muhtadi, said that according to the rules, the maximum amount of money that can be taken out of Indonesia is IDR 100 million. More than that, the bearer must have a permit from Bank Indonesia.
According to him, the perpetrator violated the provisions of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 concerning Customs, violating BI regulations regarding the requirements and procedures for carrying rupiah or money into the territory of the Republic of Indonesia and Minister of Finance Regulation Number 34 of 2005, with a penalty imposed in the form of a fine of 10 to 20 percent of the nominal amount of money they brought.
"The maximum fine is Rp300 million," he said.
The representative of Bank Indonesia Kepri Kezza added that the impact of the practice of carrying rupiah money in excess of the rules without permission could disrupt the Indonesian economy.
"Because the payment tools are reduced to be taken abroad. That's why we coordinate with the Customs regarding the rules for carrying rupiah money outside the customs area," said Kezza.
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