The Indonesian National Police Force has seized more than $10 million (Rp154.3 billion) in a large-scale operation against online gambling.
The Polri, as Indonesia’s police force is called, froze the assets and seized 811 bank accounts containing more than $10 million in total. The operation is part of a wider crackdown on online gambling, which is illegal in the country.
“All are suspected to be linked to online gambling activity,” Senior Commissioner Ferdy Saragih from the Cybercrime Directorate of Polri’s Criminal Investigation Unit told the press. He went on to state that, of the total 811, the directorate froze 576 accounts worth Rp63.7 billion ($3.8 million) and seized 235 accounts containing Rp90.6 billion ($5.5 million).
The Polri operation was carried out in coordination with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), based on reports from the financial intelligence agency. Investigations are still ongoing and are being carried out under Supreme Court Regulation No. 1/2013, with updates expected at a press conference soon.
“This is not the final step,” Saragih added. “We will continue to track and dismantle online gambling networks. It is part of our commitment to cleaning up illegal activity in the digital space.”
Online gambling in Indonesia
Polri Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has ordered a stronger crackdown on online gambling, which is illegal in Indonesia. He also called for more resources to go towards the enforcement of anti-money laundering laws targeting major operators to enable asset seizure and recovery by the state.
This year alone, there have already been at least one major operation in Indonesia where $36.5 million was frozen and seized, as well as launching a campaign on the “blood-sucking” nature of online gambling. This came alongside the purge of more than two million websites offering gambling services, thought to be operated from Cambodia.
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