October 29, 2025 | 09:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repatriated 26 Indonesian citizens from Myawaddy, Myanmar, for alleged involvement in online scam operations. One of them, identified as a recruiter, has been detained by the police.
“The alleged recruiter is currently being held at the BP3MI Banten shelter for investigation by the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim),” the ministry said in a written statement quoted by Antara on Tuesday.
The remaining 25 returnees, comprising 22 men and 4 women, have been placed at the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Protection and Trauma Recovery Center (RPTC) in Bambu Apus, East Jakarta, for further assessment.
According to Kemlu, the group was smuggled out of Myawaddy, a conflict-affected area in Myanmar known as a hub for online fraud syndicates, and crossed into Thailand after leaving the company linked to the scam.
They underwent initial screening by Thai authorities to determine whether they were victims of human trafficking before being sent back to Indonesia.
The ministry said confirmed victims will receive government assistance, including rehabilitation, social reintegration, empowerment programs, and transportation back to their hometowns, in line with Indonesia’s anti-trafficking laws.
“However, if the verification process finds that any individuals were complicit in the crime, the Indonesian police will pursue legal action in accordance with applicable regulations,” the ministry added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged Indonesians seeking employment abroad to use official recruitment channels to avoid scams, exploitation, or legal troubles in destination countries.
Since 2020, Indonesian authorities have recorded more than 10,000 cases of online scam operations involving Indonesian nationals, with networks stretching as far as South Africa.
Judha Nugraha, Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, clarified that not all of these cases involve trafficking victims.
“Of the 10,000 cases in our database, only about 1,500 are confirmed human trafficking victims,” Judha said on October 20, adding that some Indonesians had willingly taken part in the scam operations.
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