Indonesia arrests 210 foreign nationals for alleged involvement in online investment scams

JAKARTA - Indonesia's immigration authorities have arrested 210 foreign nationals alleged to be involved in online investment scams on Batam island, around 20 km (12.4 miles) from Singapore, an official said on Friday.

Below are some key details about the arrests:

• Of the foreigners arrested on May 6 in an apartment block in the city of Batam, 125 were from Vietnam, 84 from China, and one from Myanmar, Hendarsam Marantoko, a senior official at the country's immigration ministry said in a statement.

• Of the people arrested, 163 are male and 47 female, Marantoko said.

• Most of them were on tourist or visitor visas, which do not permit work or business operations, he added.

• The raid was launched after weeks of surveillance and profilingbased on immigration intelligence received in mid-April, he said.

• "Based on our surveillance, there are indications that the location is being used as a hub for organised activities and is not in line with the purpose of their residence permits," Marantoko said.

• During the investigations, authorities found evidence of involvement in online investment scams, targeting victims mainly in Europe and Vietnam by luring them via social media to a fake investment platform offering high returns, Marantoko said.

• Police seized a range of items as evidence, including 131 computers, 93 laptops, 492 mobile phones, 52 monitors, 198 passports and several money counting machines, he said.

• All detainees are currently held in immigration detention, pending deportation. If authorities find evidence of criminal offences, they will coordinate with local police to take further legal action.

-Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway/Reuters