National Police Uncovers "Love Scamming" Crime, 88 Perpetrators from China Arrested

The police showed the location where the suspects acted in the Cammo Industrial Park area, Batam City, Riau Islands, Tuesday (29/8/2023). (ANTARA)

BATAM - The Riau Islands Regional Police together with Divhubinter Polri in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China (PRC) uncovered criminal acts of fraud under the guise of romance (love scamming) in the Cammo Industrial Park area, Batam City, Riau Archipelago.

Head of the Riau Islands Regional Police Public Relations Service (Kabid Humas Polda Kepri) Commissioner (Kombes) Zahwani Pandra Arsyad said, in the raid his party managed to arrest 88 Chinese citizens.

"This collaboration succeeded in uncovering an international network in exposing video scamming cases, in which we arrested 88 foreigners from China," said Pandra as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 29.

He explained, of the 88 people, 83 were men and five were women.

The modus operandi used in this case was the suspects sending sex videos or scamming videos to victims and extortion through online communication networks.

He said, from the initial investigation by the police, the victim still came from China. But the police are still conducting investigations and deepening whether there are Indonesian citizens who are victims.

"If there are Indonesian citizens who become victims, we will give them the law that applies in Indonesia. However, if the victims come from foreign countries, they will be deported to their country of origin," said Pandra.

He stated that currently, his party is still conducting in-depth investigation regarding this case.

"Currently we have collected evidence, evidence, including 88 suspects accompanied by the Chinese police," he said.