How a major Bali bust is putting Indonesia’s tourist visa in the spotlight
A Bali gambling bust involving Indian nationals has raised concerns about the abuse of Indonesia’s tourist visa program.Summary
The recent arrest of 39 Indian nationals in Bali for operating an online gambling website has brought renewed scrutiny to Indonesia’s tourist visa system. Authorities fear the system is vulnerable to exploitation by criminal groups entering the country under the guise of tourism. The group, operating since November, used tourist visas to run the illegal operation from villas in Badung and Tabanan. Despite ongoing crackdowns, online gambling continues to generate significant financial activity in Indonesia, with billions of rupiah in transactions occurring monthly. Police began investigating after discovering a promotional Instagram account and raided the villas on February 3rd, seizing evidence and formally charging 35 suspects.
(Source：South China Morning Post)