VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Immigration authorities in Semarang, the capital city of Central Java Province, have detained 40 foreign nationals from China and Taiwan for allegedly getting involved in an international fraud syndicate, a police officer said.

Chief of the Semarang City Police Senior Commissioner.Abiyoso Seno Aji said in Semarang on Sunday that those foreigners were arrested at a house located at Puri Anjasmoro Housing Blok M2 Number 11, on April 18 or one day after Indonesia held its parliamentary and presidential elections. 

"Arrested by the  immigration officers on April 18, they are currently detained at the Semarang Immigration Detention House," he said.

The foreigners, he said, might belong to an international fraud network that targets residents of China and Taiwan.

He explained that the syndicate was targeting Chinese and Taiwanese citizens who were having legal problems.

According to him, this syndicate might have been operating in the city for approximately two months.

"We are still investigating into the sponsors of these 40 foreign nationals that enable them to stay in Semarang," he said.

From the 40 people, he continued, 11 of them were included in the Interpol's wanted list.

Those foreign nationals had nothing to do with the vote-counting processes of the country's general elections, which are currently being underway. (ant)