By : Sani Fatahul ) *
The government through the East Java Regional Police has successfully dismantled an online gambling syndicate operating in an international network. This major effort has succeeded in uncovering illegal practices that have harmed the Indonesian people in very large amounts.
The syndicate used social media to promote gambling sites, use fictitious companies as money laundering tools, and channel the funds obtained abroad. Through joint operations, a number of suspects were arrested, and evidence, including electronic devices, bank accounts, and funds estimated to reach billions of rupiah, was successfully confiscated.
The disclosure of this case is the result of a thorough investigation and hard work by the police in combating the growing cybercrime. According to the Head of Sub-Directorate II of the East Java Regional Police Cybercrime Directorate, AKBP Charles P. Tampubolon, this success shows the high creativity of the perpetrators in hiding their activities.
The online gambling syndicate used 375 ATM cards and 185 bank key tokens to cover up the flow of funds totaling Rp1.4 trillion in four months. In addition, the syndicate involved a fictitious company registered in Jakarta, which acted as a tool to disguise the transactions.
The police also found that a dangdut singer was involved in promoting online gambling sites through social media. However, the singer was only made a witness in this legal process.
Meanwhile, East Java Police Chief, Inspector General Imam Sugianto, emphasized that this disclosure is a major effort by the police to eradicate online gambling which continues to grow rapidly. According to him, this online gambling syndicate is very detrimental to society, both financially and morally.
Therefore, the East Java Regional Police are committed to continuing to eradicate all forms of cybercrime that damage the social life of society. This success also serves as a warning for the public to be more vigilant against the threat of online gambling which is increasingly rampant.
The Regional Police Chief also appealed to the public to immediately report if they know of online gambling practices around them. This law enforcement effort is not only an achievement for the police, but also an important step to anticipate increasingly complex transnational crimes.
The Indonesian National Police through the East Java Regional Police continues to collaborate with related parties, both national and international, to eradicate online gambling syndicates and other crimes that damage the social order in Indonesia.
This success is clear evidence that online gambling syndicates are not only financially detrimental, but can also trap many victims in a cycle of addiction and other criminal acts.
This success not only received appreciation from the police, but also from members of the DPR. Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR RI, Moh. Rano Alfath, gave his respect to the East Java Regional Police for the hard work that has been done by the East Java Regional Police’s Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation, especially the Cyber Sub-Directorate.
Rano assessed that this step succeeded in stopping the circulation of large amounts of illicit money and sent a strong message that the Police are here to protect the community and fight global threats such as this online gambling syndicate. According to him, disclosures like this must be a national agenda considering the scale of the losses, both in terms of the economy and national security.
Rano Alfath also highlighted the effectiveness of the National Police’s policy of adding Cyber Directorates to eight Regional Police, including the East Java Regional Police. He stated that the existence of a strong and well-trained cyber unit has proven to be able to deal with high-tech crimes quickly and accurately.
Rano reminded that crimes such as online gambling and money laundering are not much different from the threat of drugs, because both can damage the social, economic and legal joints of society. Therefore, the Police need to continue to develop strategies so that they can always be one or two steps ahead of criminals who are increasingly smart and innovative in exploiting technological gaps.
As Deputy Chairman of the PKB DPP, Rano emphasized that his party has paid special attention to the rampant online gambling that is very disturbing to the community. The success of the Police in dismantling this gambling syndicate is expected to be a momentum to suppress similar cases in other areas and strengthen supervision of illegal cyber activities.
In addition, Rano also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational crime. Given that this network involves many countries, synergy between countries in sharing information, technology, and strategies is very necessary so that this modern crime can be handled comprehensively.
Through the steps taken by the National Police, especially the East Java Regional Police, this proves that the government is not only focused on law enforcement, but is also committed to overcoming crimes that have the potential to damage the nation’s social and economic order.
The success in dismantling this international online gambling syndicate is a good example for other regions not to be careless in handling similar crimes. With full support from all parties, the government through the Police can be more optimal in tackling cybercrime that continues to grow.
The follow-up of the disclosure of this case will be very important to prevent the recurrence of similar practices. Thus, the Indonesian people can feel safer and more protected from threats coming from cyberspace.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesian Gold Forum
