Throughout 2023, Indonesian Immigration Deports 22 International Burons

Illustarsi buronan Internasional yang dilakukan deportasi oleh Kantor Imigrasi Indonesia (dok Dirjen Imigrasi)

The Directorate General of Immigration together with the National Police have deported 22 international fugitives throughout 2023. The perpetrators are known to be involved in a number of crimes and have been sent home to trial in their home countries.

"There are various cases that ensnare these foreign fugitives, some are suspects of fraud, smuggling, drugs, economic crimes in their country until murder," explained Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim in his statement, Sunday, November 19.

The international fugitives who have been successfully secured by Immigration in detail include five suspected frauds, five perpetrators of economic crimes, four perpetrators of fictitious guarantees and investments, three people involved in murder cases. Meanwhile, the remaining five are suspects in other crimes.

Immigration officers deported the Australian and Italian dual US nationals on February 19, 2023. He has been wanted by the Italian government since 2016 on charges of drug smuggling. Thanks to Interpol's red notice, immigration officer at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali identified the US when it landed from Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, in September, Immigration succeeded in arresting GA, an Italian citizen who is a suspect in alleged human smuggling at a hotel in Central Jakarta; as well as PM (Lk, 32th), an Interpol fugitive from Russia suspected of fraud and criminal organizations which was later handed over to the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimum) of the National Police.

The ranks of the Directorate General of Immigration also briefly arrested a Chinese citizen with the initials LZ who has been fugitive since 2014 for a credit card fraud case and embezzlement of funds worth 1.65 million Yuan. When secured, LZ evaded and claimed to be an Indonesian citizen on behalf of Agus. He had shown his ID card and Indonesian passport.

After being interrogated by officers, LZ finally admitted the act of falsifying the immigration documents he committed. LZ was then deported because he was in Indonesia without a valid travel document and residence permit, as well as ownership of Indonesian population documents.

Last October, we arrested five Chinese citizens. Three suspects of fraud and fictitious investment, two suspects in the murder case, "said Silmy.

A total of three murder suspects arrested in June (CX) and October (WJ and WC) have been fugitives since 2006 (CX) and 2004 (WJ and WC).

Fictitious guarantees and investments were also used as a mode of crime committed by YW, LS and CR who were arrested and deported in November 2023. In the same month, immigration officers also managed to lure WL, which is a DPO for the case of the Love Scam cyber crime resulting from the development of the Batam, Behind Padang and Singkawang cases.

At the time of his arrest, WL was also with two other Chinese citizens with the initials YW (DPO) and CW, a Chinese citizen who was also actively involved as a controller and recruiter of Indonesian citizens who will work in Cambodia related to online gambling and other cyber crimes. WL and CW were arrested on suspicion of fictitious guarantees and travel documents were declared invalid by the Chinese government, while YW was arrested for living in Indonesia illegally.

Until now, the ranks of the Directorate General of Immigration continue to try to track and arrest other foreign criminals hiding in Indonesia. This success is the result of good cooperation and coordination between various relevant agencies.

"We invite the public to participate in supporting efforts to eradicate cross-border crimes by reporting any movements of foreigners that are deemed suspicious," concluded Silmy.