TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Metro Jaya Police transferred 80 Chinese nationals to the immigration office after arrested for committing international frauds and other criminal acts based on Indonesia.

"We plan to hand over the 80 people to the immigration office for further process," said Metro Jaya Police's director of special crimes, Sr. Comr. Iwan Kurniawan at his office in South Jakarta on Thursday, November 28, 2019.

Iwan later revealed that out of the police had initially arrested 85 people. Five of them were later released after proving their innocence and non-involvement in the fraud.

"After a series of questionings, the five people were not involved. Their communication devices were hacked and we can assure that they were not involved," said Iwan.

Metro Jaya Police investigators apprehended dozens of Chinese nationals on Monday, November 25, 2019, across six different locations for their alleged involvement in an international crime syndicate.

They are suspected of running an online fraud scheme targeting their own countrymen in China through fraudulent phone calls claiming to be financial advisors.

Iwan said that so far, no Indonesian has reported to be victim of the syndicate and made sure that the online fraud committed by them had only targeted Chinese nationals.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH