DENPASAR - The Ngurah Rai Badung Immigration Office, Bali, prevented the departure of 13 Indonesian citizens (WNI) because they were suspected of going on a non-procedural hajj through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
"We are committed to carrying out immigration supervision in a professional and humane manner to prevent non-procedural hajj departures," said Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office Bugie Kurniawan in Badung, Bali, Saturday, May 23, reported by ANTARA.
According to him, his party has tightened supervision of potential departures that do not comply with procedures, especially those related to the implementation of the hajj.
He explained that on Friday (22/5), immigration inspection officers found a number of irregularities during immigration checks on a group of passengers who were about to depart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Initially, he said, officers conducted an examination of seven Indonesian citizens. In the regular examination, officers found ambiguity regarding the purpose of the group's departure.
Passengers also cannot show a visa that matches their travel destination.
From the results of the examination of the seven people, it turned out that there were six other people in the group who had passed through the automatic immigration inspection machine (autogate) first.
The officers then summoned the six people, so that the total number of people who underwent further examination amounted to 13 people.
During the follow-up examination, officers found differences in the statements of each member of the entourage regarding the purpose and purpose of their departure.
Suspicions were further strengthened when one of the passengers who was showing the return ticket for the group to Indonesia on his mobile phone and a notification of a conversation from a WhatsApp group named "Great Haji 2026" appeared.
From the in-depth investigation of the group's conversation, there were indications of a plan to depart for Dubai in order to perform the hajj pilgrimage, which was suspected of not going through official procedures.
In addition, a conversation was also found asking the family not to take the group to the airport to disguise the actual departure destination.
Based on the results of the examination, the officers then prevented the departure of all members of the entourage in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws and regulations.
Furthermore, the Ngurah Rai Immigration coordinated and handed over the 13 Indonesian citizens to the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Police for further investigation.
The departure prevention measures are carried out based on the provisions of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration and the Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation Number 9 of 2024 concerning the Procedure for Immigration Inspection for Persons Entering or Leaving the Indonesian Territory.
"We urge the public to always use official routes and procedures in the implementation of the hajj in order to ensure security and legal protection," he said.
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