BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR – A joint operation involving the Bali Regional Police, Denpasar Police, and Kuta Police has foiled a suspected international scamming operation allegedly being prepared at a guest house in Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali. A total of 30 people, consisting of 26 foreign nationals and four Indonesian citizens, were detained during the operation on April 28, 2026.

The detained foreigners include five Chinese nationals, four Taiwanese nationals, one Malaysian national, four Kenyan nationals, and 12 Philippine nationals. Police suspect the location was intended to serve as a base for transnational online fraud operations targeting victims overseas.

Director of General Criminal Investigation of Bali Police, I Gede Adhi Mulyawarman, said the case was uncovered following reports of an alleged kidnapping involving foreign nationals.

“Following the information, officers from Bali Police, Denpasar Police, and Kuta Police immediately conducted an inspection at the guest house in Kuta,” he said during a press conference.

During the raid, officers discovered various items allegedly intended for use in international scamming activities. Evidence seized included FBI-style attributes and flags, computer equipment, keyboards, Starlink internet devices, mobile phones, iPads, and office equipment located on the second floor of the guest house.

Police also uncovered scripts believed to be training materials for prospective scam operators. The documents reportedly contained scenarios involving narcotics cases, weapons violations, and other criminal cases allegedly designed to deceive victims abroad.

“We found strong indications of preparations for international scamming crimes. The location contained accommodation facilities, electronic devices, internet networks, foreign attributes, and operator training scripts,” Adhi Mulyawarman said.

He emphasized that authorities successfully prevented the operation before it became fully active.

“The planned activities were stopped before the network could operate fully. We suspect the involvement of a transnational syndicate because several nationalities were involved and the intended targets were overseas,” he added.

Denpasar Police Chief Leonardo D. Simatupang said the investigation initially stemmed from information provided by the Philippine Embassy through its police attaché regarding alleged confinement of Philippine nationals at the guest house.

“We initially received information from the Philippine Embassy through the police attaché regarding alleged confinement of Philippine citizens at a guest house in Kuta,” he said.

However, after officers arrived at the location, they instead found what appeared to be a training operation linked to international online fraud activities.

“We found the foreign nationals undergoing training. There were practice scripts, FBI attributes, computer equipment, and rooms that had already been prepared as operational offices,” Leonardo explained.

According to him, several rooms inside the guest house had been modified to resemble office workspaces, with beds removed and rooms rearranged into operator work areas.

“We are continuing the investigation and coordinating with immigration authorities regarding violations committed by the foreign nationals,” he added.

Meanwhile, Head of Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement at Ngurah Rai Special Class I Immigration Office, Raja Ulul Azmi Syahwali, confirmed that immigration authorities had taken over the handling of the detained foreigners.

“We are conducting immigration administrative examinations on all foreign nationals secured by the police,” he said.

Preliminary checks showed that 15 individuals were carrying passports, while 11 others failed to present travel documents at the time of detention.

“Fifteen individuals carried passports, while 11 others could not show passports when detained,” he stated.

According to Raja Ulul Azmi, all foreign nationals were using visit stay permits but were allegedly preparing to work illegally in Indonesia. Immigration authorities plan to impose administrative immigration sanctions.

“We will apply Article 75 of the Immigration Law in the form of administrative immigration measures, including deportation,” he stressed.

Bali Police said the investigation is ongoing in coordination with immigration authorities, the International Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police, police attachés from several countries, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to trace the suspected transnational criminal network behind the operation.