TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) uncovered international online pornography and gambling networks practice through streaming applications worth billions of rupiah that were suspected of exploiting illegal migrant workers.

Bareskrim Director of General Crimes Brigadier General Djuhandani Rahardjo Puro said this originated from the development of several immoral cases of minors in the country, including in Brebes, Central Java.

It was then revealed that there were several online applications called Bling2 that contains profane content.

“We sent the unit to investigate what happened. Thank God, we managed to reveal this network and the existing actors and streamers within two weeks,” said Djuhandani in a press conference at the National Police HQ on Friday, February 3, 2023.

Bareskrim also arrested six suspects: live streaming hosts, money launderers, accountants, and intermediaries or people who looked for bank accounts in three different areas in West Java, Jakarta, and Riau Islands.

The arrested suspects were identified as IPS, a 27-year-old female streamer; RYSS, a 30-year-old man as a money launderer; AAP, a 25-year-old male broker; JBPH a.k.a KA, a 29-year-old accountant; RD, a 28-year-old man as a live streamer host; and NS a.k.a R, a 23-year-old female streamer.

“We also detected online gambling practices in the app. After coordinating with the Directorate of Cybercrime, we found that the server was abroad,” Djuhandani explained.

From this arrest, police confiscated evidence, including nightgowns, pants, sex toys, and vibrators. At least 37 bank accounts were also frozen and investigated for the money laundering case.

The streamer's income varies with a minimum income of Rp1.5 million a day. Meanwhile, the app’s revenue reached tens of billions of rupiah since it started operation in mid-2022 until date. Bareskrim also found that this site was actively controlled in Cambodia and the Philippines.

"We will continue to develop this case because based on the results of our investigation, it is also related to the exploitation of illegal immigrant workers," said Djuhandani, adding that the suspects would face a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA

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