Indonesian authorities conducted a significant crackdown on online gambling, resulting in the arrest of 22 individuals across Java on June 13th. The operation, coordinated across Tangerang, Bogor, and Bekasi, targeted a syndicate operating illegal gambling websites hosted in China and Cambodia.
The syndicate, responsible for the Akasia899 and Tanjung899 platforms, generated substantial profits. Key figures within the organization, including a financial manager and those responsible for marketing and server maintenance, amassed personal fortunes estimated between Rp 15 billion and Rp 20 billion (approximately US$1.2 million) over a ten-month period. Lower-level employees, acting as operators, received monthly salaries ranging from Rp 7 million to Rp 10 million.
The syndicate’s sophisticated marketing strategy involved the daily creation of hundreds of WhatsApp accounts using a vast quantity of Indonesian SIM cards. These accounts were instrumental in disseminating advertisements promoting the gambling websites, enticing potential customers with promises of quick profits and encouraging deposits.
Investigators uncovered a money-laundering scheme involving the conversion of gambling profits into cryptocurrency, disguised as legitimate commercial transactions. The raids yielded a substantial amount of evidence, including 354 mobile phones, 23 computers, 18 ATM cards, a vehicle, 2,648 SIM cards, and a modem.
Facing multiple criminal charges, including violations of electronic transactions laws and money laundering statutes, the suspects could face penalties ranging from six to fifteen years imprisonment and fines up to Rp 1 billion.
