Nearly 2,000 Indonesians repatriated from Cambodia for involvement in gambling, scam syndicates, says migrant protection agency

JAKARTA: Thousands of Indonesians are suspected to be involved in online gambling and scamming operations in Cambodia, and nearly 2,000 of them have been sent back home for their alleged involvement, according to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency.
Based on numbers from the immigration department, there are some 89,440 Indonesians in Cambodia for work, the agency’s head Benny Rhamdani said on Monday (Jul 29).
Some 1,914 of them have been repatriated due to their alleged involvement in online gambling and scamming activities, he said, without giving the timeframe.
Mr Benny shared the figures when he spoke to the media after he was interviewed by the police. He disclosed the name of an alleged online gambling kingpin known only as “T” to the police, but declined to do so when asked by reporters.
It is also not known if T is a citizen of Indonesia or if he is based in the country. “As I have clarified it to the investigators, better ask them,” he told reporters.
Mr Benny has also had a restricted briefing with President Joko Widodo and National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo where he disclosed T’s identity. He declined to say when the briefing took place.
Last week, he had disclosed that many Indonesians were getting job placements outside the country through T. Both the president and the police chief were taken aback upon learning about T’s alleged activities, he said.
“You can ask the coordinating minister at that time, Mr Mahfud MD. The president and chief of police were both shocked. The briefing became quite animated (when they learnt about T’s activities),” Mr Benny said last week. 
Mr Mahfud was Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs until he resigned on Jan 31 this year, ahead of Indonesia’s presidential and legislative elections on Feb 14. He was the vice-presidential running mate of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo. 
When asked, Mr Mahfud said he no longer has the authority to respond to the media’s questions about T, Antara news agency reported on Sunday (Jul 28).
Mr Benny did not provide details about the specific locations of these online gambling operations but added that there were other Indonesian workers who were similarly involved in online gambling syndicates in Thailand and Vietnam. 
His agency, known by its acronym BP2MI, seeks to prevent human trafficking and wants to prevent the placement of Indonesian workers in the online gambling sector, he said.
“These are our country’s young people who have fallen victim to illegal placement,” he declared. 
The police plan to question Mr Benny again on T and online gambling activities in Cambodia, but it is not known if efforts are underway to locate the alleged kingpin.
Other countries whose citizens have been repatriated from Cambodia include China, Malaysia and India. According to reports, some of those who have been recruited for online gambling or scam operations are victims themselves who have been kidnapped and held captive to perpetrate scams.