Police Uncover Organized Hoax Syndicate, Seize Rp220 Million and Arrest 8 Perpetrators

Illustration of a crime perpetrator being arrested (VOI)

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya has dismantled a syndicate of hoax, provocation, and hate speech content creators who are suspected of operating in an organized manner on social media. In the disclosure of the case, the police arrested eight people with different roles, ranging from storytellers to content spreaders, and seized Rp220 million in cash.

Director of General Criminal Investigation (Direskrimum) of the Metro Jaya Police, Kombes Pol Iman Imanuddin, said investigators had carried out a series of investigations and investigations into a digital propaganda network that was suspected of systematically producing and disseminating content containing hoaxes, provocations, and hate speech.

"The perpetrators have their own roles, ranging from narrators, editors, social media account managers, to content spreaders," said Iman, Tuesday, July 28.

According to Iman, the suspect with the initials ADIK was tasked with drafting and sending the content narrative as well as providing briefings. Suspect BCK was involved in sending the content narrative, while AYV managed the social media account used to disseminate content that was suspected of violating the law.

Meanwhile, YAP and MMA are in charge of content editors. Suspect YNI plays a role in accelerating comments that support uploads on social media. As for the other two suspects, namely G and S, they have different tasks. G is suspected of offering a content distribution project through social media, while S is in charge of graphic design.

"Currently, in its entirety, whether it's fund managers, project providers, content creators, content disseminators, comment improvement, managers, to account owners, we have all taken security or arrests," said Iman.

In the disclosure of the case, investigators also seized a number of evidence in the form of 11 mobile phones, two laptops, one iPad, two flash drives containing content suspected of violating the law, and cash amounting to IDR 220 million.

The police will investigate the origin of the money and trace the alleged flow of funds used to fund the activities of spreading hoaxes, provocations, and hate speech on social media.

Polda Metro Jaya ensured that the investigation was still being developed to uncover the possibility of the involvement of other parties and a wider network in the case.