Indonesia arrests 210 foreign nationals for alleged involvement in online investment scams

Indonesia's immigration authorities have arrested 210 ​foreign nationals alleged to be involved ​in online investment scams on ‌Batam ​island, around 20 km (12.4 miles) from Singapore, an official said on Friday.

Indonesia's immigration authorities have arrested 210 ​foreign nationals alleged to be involved ​in online investment scams on ‌Batam ​island, around 20 km (12.4 miles) from Singapore, an official said on Friday. Below are some key details about the ‌arrests: * Of the foreigners arrested on May 6 in an apartment block in the city of Batam, 125 were from Vietnam, 84 from China, and one from Myanmar, Hendarsam ‌Marantoko, a senior official at the country's immigration ministry said in a statement.

* Of ‌the people arrested, 163 are male and 47 female, Marantoko said. * Most of them were on tourist or visitor visas, which do not permit work or business operations, he added.

* The ⁠raid was ​launched after weeks ⁠of surveillance and profilingbased on immigration intelligence received in mid-April, he said. * "Based on our surveillance, there are ⁠indications that the location is being used as a hub for organised activities and is not ​in line with the purpose of their residence permits," Marantoko said.

* During the ⁠investigations, authorities found evidence of involvement in online investment scams, targeting victims mainly in Europe and Vietnam ⁠by ​luring them via social media to a fake investment platform offering high returns, Marantoko said. * Police seized a range of items as evidence, including 131 computers, 93 ⁠laptops, 492 mobile phones, 52 monitors, 198 passports and several money counting machines, he ⁠said.

* All ⁠detainees are currently held in immigration detention, pending deportation. If authorities find evidence of criminal offences, they will coordinate with local ‌police to ‌take further legal action.