Malaysians scamming Malaysians: Indonesia nab 30 in Pontianak hotel raid

Indonesian authorities have apprehended 30 Malaysians accused of running online scams targeting fellow Malaysians from a hotel in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, according to the Jakarta Post. The detainees, consisting of 22 men and eight women, were seized along with a Taiwanese individual during a joint operation with Pontianak City Police, following intelligence on suspicious activities involving foreigners.

The 31 foreigners had utilized 14 rooms in the hotel for their illicit activities, as reported by Sam Fernando, the chief of Pontianak Immigration Office, during a press conference on Thursday. Sam revealed that the targets were likely Malaysian nationals and the suspects were allegedly attempting to defraud them. No Indonesians were among the targets.

All 31 individuals were transferred to the Pontianak Immigration Detention Centre for further questioning, and several items linked to the suspected activities were confiscated. Three Malaysian nationals were found to have overstayed their visas, while others were found guilty of misusing their stay permits for unauthorized activities.

The detainees had arrived through various means, such as Pontianak airport, the Entikong land border crossing, and Jakarta, each holding different types of immigration permits. The duration of their stay varied, with some present for two months and others for three weeks. Sam stated that his office would collaborate with Malaysian authorities as the investigation into the case progresses.