Indonesia Arrests Chinese Suspect Sought By Beijing For $14 Billion Investment Scam

Immigration officials in Indonesia have detained a Chinese person who is wanted by Beijing for his involvement in an investment scam that reportedly defrauded clients in China of over $14 billion, according to officials on Thursday.

The 39-year-old suspect, referred to only by the initial LQ, was apprehended on October 1 when he attempted to leave Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport for Singapore but was blocked by an immigration auto-gate.

Silmy Karim, the immigration chief at Indonesia’s law and human rights ministry, stated that the airport’s biometric data system identified him as a wanted suspect, which resulted in his arrest. He had been under an Interpol warrant since late September.

Interpol Red Notice

The suspect arrived in Bali from Singapore on September 26 using a Turkish passport under the name Joe Lin, just a day before Interpol issued a Red Notice for his detention, which is a request to law enforcement agencies globally to arrest suspects sought by specific countries.

During a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, the suspect, wearing a detainee’s orange shirt and a face mask, was presented to reporters but did not make any comments nor was he questioned. Karim remarked on the misuse of Indonesia as a transit or hiding place, praising advancements in technology and the collaboration between immigration authorities and the national police.

Krishna Murti, head of the international division of the National Police, mentioned that the process to decide whether to deport or extradite the suspect to China would take some time. He noted that it is necessary to confirm whether the suspect is genuinely a Turkish citizen or if he used a fraudulent passport to enter Indonesia.

Indonesia target for organized crime

Murti emphasized the importance of respecting the suspect’s rights, noting that he had not violated any laws while in Indonesia. Beijing named the suspect in connection with the Ponzi scheme that allegedly collected over 100 billion Chinese Yuan (approximately $14 billion) from more than 50,000 victims.

Indonesia, situated at the crossroads of Asia and the South Pacific, has become a target for organized crime due to its geographic position and diverse society.

Last month, Indonesia apprehended Alice Guo, a former mayor from the Philippines wanted for her connections to Chinese criminal organizations, who has since been deported back to the Philippines.

In June, another notable fugitive, Chaowalit Thongduang from Thailand, was returned to his home country on a Thai air force plane after being arrested in Bali following a lengthy manhunt related to multiple murders and drug trafficking charges.

Read More: NATO To Start Annual ‘Steadfast Noon’ Nuclear Exercise As Russia Threatens Ukraine’s Western Backers