Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam syndicates

AI Summary

Recent police raids in Indonesia have highlighted the country as a growing hub for online gambling and scam syndicates that have moved from other Southeast Asian nations. The raids reflect Indonesia's challenges in combating such illegal activities, exacerbated by its lenient visa policies.

Indonesia’s latest wave of police raids has exposed signs that online gambling and scam syndicates, squeezed out of traditional hubs such as Cambodia and Myanmar, are trying to turn Southeast Asia’s biggest economy into a new base. Analysts warned that Indonesia’s porous visa regime, weak law enforcement and welcoming attitude towards foreigners had made it an attractive destination for syndicates looking to avoid scrutiny. Authorities have arrested hundreds of foreign nationals in Jakarta,...