Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - The Denpasar Immigration Office in Bali is investigating three foreign nationals -- two from Uganda and one from Russia -- suspected of involvement in an international commercial sex worker syndicate.

"We predict there are still other networks. We will continue to investigate this issue," Head of the Denpasar Immigration Office, Ridha Sah Putra, stated on Tuesday.

According to Putra, the two Ugandan nationals are women, with the initials RKN and FN, and a Russian national, with the initials IT, in the age bracket of 25-30 years.

They were busted by the Denpasar Immigration Intelligence and Enforcement officers in an operation carried out by a six-person team on August 21.

Putra remarked that the three suspects did not know each other and that the data collection process in revealing the case utilized a WhatsApp messenger with a foreign number listed in a link related to the promotion of foreign prostitution networks.

In arresting the three, the officers went undercover by ordering prostitute services at a rate of up to US$400 per person per date, he added.

They were then arrested at a three-star hotel in Denpasar according to the location agreed upon by the three foreigners to meet, he revealed.

Meanwhile, Head of the Bali Provincial Law and Human Rights Office, Pramella Yunidar Pasaribu, said her side would conduct more intensive monitoring of foreigners in Bali to respond to global challenges related to the mobility of these foreign nationals.

The supervision also aims to filter out quality and well-behaved foreigners in Bali, she remarked.

Regarding the case of the three foreign national prostitutes, Pasaribu estimated that their customers comprised Indonesian and foreign nationals.

Based on the Denpasar Immigration data from January to August 27, 2024, the number of foreign nationals deported from Denpasar reached 41 people, with most of them being Russians.

They were deported for misusing residence permits, violating the length of stay, and being caught in criminal cases, among others.

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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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