Police Return 153 Chinese Citizens Suspected Of Love Scamming In Batam

Dirkrimus Polda Kepri Kombes Nasriadi (white shirt) gave directions to officers to take the suspect on the plane, Wednesday (20/9). (ANTARA/Yude)

The police have repatriated 153 Chinese nationals who are suspects in fraud under the guise of romance or "love scamming" to their home country through Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam, Riau Islands.

"A total of 153 suspects are Chinese citizens who have received law enforcement efforts by the Riau Islands Police in collaboration with the Police's Hubinter Division and the Directorate General of Immigration has been sent back to their country of origin (China)," said Head of the Hubinter Police Division Inspector General Krishna Murti in Batam, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 20.

A total of 153 suspects in "love scamming", he said, came from two arrests by the regional police. The first arrests from the Riau Islands Police were 132 suspects and West Kalimantan Police as many as 21 suspects were Chinese nationals.

He explained that the suspects were repatriated using three planes from China and escorted by 300 Chinese state police personnel.

The disclosure of this case has been carried out since August 2023 secretly. From this case, the police managed to get extraordinary results.

"Where the perpetrators have committed "transnational crime" crimes by using the territory of the Republic of Indonesia as an arena to commit crimes," he said.

He emphasized that the law enforcement process carried out against suspects of crimes against Chinese citizens is the same as his treatment with other countries if they commit crimes in Indonesia.

"If there are criminals who direct Indonesia as a target, we will be able to reveal it," Krishna said.