"We found 569 Indonesian citizens working illegally as online gambling operators in the Philippines," he said at a press conference in Tangerang, Banten.
Murti added that they were caught in a raid conducted in connection with an online gambling case involving an offshore gaming operator at the Tourist Garden Hotel, Lapu-Lapu city, Cebu province, on August 31, 2024, by the Philippine police.
The Indonesian citizens were not only involved as perpetrators, but were also recruited from Indonesia, he added.
"They are not part of victims of the human trafficking but they are the perpetrators who consciously offered themselves to work in the Philippines," Murti emphasized.
He explained that the results of the large-scale operation carried out by the Philippine authorities led to the arrests of all perpetrators — the mastermind as well as the operators.
"They are being arrested and following the process according to the provisions, including two Indonesians who are currently being detained," Murti informed.
Based on the details of the case, hundreds of nabbed Indonesian citizens are being deported by law enforcement.
"The perpetrators are (being) deported by immigration and gradually repatriated," he added.
According to him, several Indonesian citizens involved in the case have been repatriated to Indonesia in stages.
The first stage involved the repatriation of 35 Indonesian citizens. In the next stage, 32 Indonesians will be sent home on October 22–23, 2024, on flights headed to Jakarta, Medan, and Manado.
Murti said that his party is currently investigating the distribution of dozens of Indonesian citizens as online gambling operators.
"We should reveal the organizers and the scheme. We will conduct an in-depth investigation regarding this matter," he added.
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Translator: Azmi Syamsul M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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