35 wagering websites are purportedly the creation of a 25-year-old high school graduate. The seizure of numerous instruments utilized in criminal activities is a component of a crackdown on online gambling, which includes this arrest.
A 25-year-old high school graduate was apprehended by police in Bogor City, West Java, Indonesia, on November 8, 2024, for allegedly creating and administering up to 35 gambling websites. This incident was widely reported. The detention of the suspect, who goes by the initials SK, represents a substantial stride forward for local law enforcement in the fight against online gambling.
This case has a highly intricate background. SK is a vocational high school graduate with a focus on low-voltage engineering. He possesses a certain level of computer proficiency that enables him to employ search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to promote wagering websites. He was able to elude police detection by frequently traveling between the Philippines and Indonesia, which provided him with concealment and made it more challenging for law enforcement to locate him.
At a press conference, the Chief of the Bogor Metropolitan Police, Bismo Teguh Prakoso, confirmed that SK had been involved in this illegal industry for the past three years and had effectively established numerous gambling websites. “He utilized a variety of methods to guarantee the operation of these sites and earned a monthly income of up to 25 million Indonesian rupiah,” Bismo continued, refraining from disclosing the identity of SK’s employer.
At Yasmin Park, the police action ultimately resulted in the capture of SK. The authorities confiscated numerous mobile phones and computers from him, which were indispensable instruments for his online wagering endeavors. Bismo emphasized that this arrest was in response to a directive issued by President Prabowo Subianto, which was designed to intensify the assault on online gambling.
In fact, Indonesian law enforcement has escalated their efforts to combat online wagering in recent weeks. Last weekend, the Jakarta police discovered a significant wagering syndicate that involved at least 11 officials from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. Police seized 16 vehicles and confiscated a variety of banknotes valued at 7.3 billion Indonesian rupiah (approximately 470,000 USD) during this search at a store in Bekasi. It is suspected that members of this gambling organization have abused their authority to administer and shut down gambling websites in exchange for bribes, thereby enabling at least 1,000 sites to continue operating.
Indonesia’s government’s steadfast determination to suppress wagering activities is evident in these successive incidents. The government acknowledges the need to implement more stringent measures to prevent the proliferation of online wagering. The arrest of SK not only functions as a consequence for individual illegal activities but also represents a substantial blow to the entire gambling industry chain.
The case is currently under further investigation, and the police are optimistic that they will be able to identify additional masterminds responsible for these operations by conducting a comprehensive examination of SK’s activities and network. Concurrently, this functions as a warning to other potential criminals that the government’s crackdown is intensifying, and additional law enforcement actions will be implemented in the future to preserve social safety and stability.
