DENPASAR - Head of the Regional Office of the Bali Directorate General of Immigration, Parlindungan, emphasized that his party fully supports the legal process carried out by the Bali Police regarding 2 immigration staff who were also arrested for being involved in a criminal gang of Russian citizens in Bali.
"So we really respect and provide support for the development of this case," said Parlindungan, Friday, August 1.
Against the 2 immigration officers involved in the crime, there will be strict sanctions after the legal process is complete. The punishment could lead to the dismissal of both of them.
"There must be a second code trial and the sanctions are definitely very heavy for the person concerned, it may be like that (fired)," he said.
The Bali Police said two Russian citizens and two Immigration employees were suspected of extorting and threatening dozens of victims who were foreigners on vacation in Bali.
Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said the alleged extortion was based on the results of investigations into scientific-based crimes and the confessions of four perpetrators Ernest Esmail (24), from Jakarta and Yopita Barinda Putri (24), from Magelang and two Russian foreigners, namely Iurii Vithcenko (30) and Ilia Shkutov (32).
"According to ITE's recognition and analysis, 27 crime investigations were obtained which are still in the process of being investigated," said Daniel.
According to Daniel, most of the victims of extortion were foreigners and had returned to their area of origin. The extortion was carried out from January to July 2025.
The location of the extortion occurred in Denpasar, Badung, and Gianyar. This number could also be more because the investigation is still ongoing.
The four actors share roles every time they launch their actions on the ground where two Russian foreigners are tasked with finding victims, while two Immigration employees threaten in the form of being arrested or deported if they do not comply with the perpetrator's request.
"They carried out extortion by kidnapping and assault, and threatened to take the victim to the Immigration office and be deported," said the Bali Police Chief.
Meanwhile, the Director of General Criminal Investigation (Dirreskrimum) of the Bali Police, Kombes I Gede Adhi Mulyawarman, said the two Russian foreigners initially became acquainted with two Immigration employees.
The foreigners cooperated with Immigration employees to provide data on foreigners who could be blackmailed, then commit these crimes.
"They asked for help looking for people suspected of harming their group," he said.
Adhi Mulyawarman admitted that he had collected data and information about the victims from tracing the cellphones owned by the perpetrators.
Previously, four perpetrators had been arrested by Resmob of the Bali Police General Criminal Investigation Directorate for persecuting a man from Lithuania named Roman Smeliov (42).
In addition to extorting victims, the perpetrators also carried out persecution and threats of murder.
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