BALINEWSID.COM, BADUNG – The Ngurah Rai Class I Special Immigration Office has delayed the departure of 13 Indonesian citizens suspected of attempting to travel for Hajj pilgrimage through non-procedural means at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Friday (22/5).

The action was taken after immigration officers detected irregularities during a routine immigration inspection of a group of passengers scheduled to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Initially, officers questioned seven Indonesians traveling together and found unclear explanations regarding the purpose of their trip. The passengers were also unable to present valid visas соответствing to their stated travel intentions.

Further investigation revealed six additional passengers who had already passed through the autogate system, bringing the total number of individuals under scrutiny to 13.

A deeper examination uncovered inconsistencies in the group’s statements regarding their travel objectives. Suspicion intensified after one passenger accidentally displayed a return ticket on a mobile phone, which also showed a WhatsApp group notification titled “Hebat Haji 2026.”

Messages in the group reportedly indicated a plan to travel to Dubai for Hajj pilgrimage outside official procedures. The chat also included instructions advising members not to be escorted by family members to the airport to avoid raising suspicion.

Based on these findings, immigration authorities decided to delay the departure of the entire group in accordance with applicable regulations.

The 13 individuals were subsequently handed over to the Bali Airport Police (Polres Kawasan Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai) for further investigation.

Head of Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bugie Kurniawan, stated that the office will continue to strengthen surveillance against potential non-procedural departures, particularly related to Hajj travel.

“Ngurah Rai Immigration is committed to conducting professional and humane immigration supervision to prevent non-procedural departures that could harm the public. We urge people to always use official channels for Hajj pilgrimage to ensure legal protection and safety,” he said.