Embassy in Indonesia writes letter, airport immigration officer removed from duty for extortion investigation

All immigration officers at the Immigration Department of Jakarta Soekarno Airport have been temporarily removed from their posts!

It all started when the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Indonesia sent a letter to the relevant Indonesian authorities on January 21, 2025, stating that a number of Chinese nationals had been extorted by immigration officials at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The letter contained a list of suspected cases of extortion from February 2024 to January 2025, detailing at least 44 cases of extortion in which more than 60 Chinese nationals were demanded a total of 32,750,000 rupiah, and provided evidence of specific cases and bank transfers.

Upon receipt of the letter, the Indonesian Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services promptly launched an investigation.2025 On February 1, the Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services, Agus Andrianto, confirmed that all immigration officers of the Immigration Office at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport had been temporarily removed from their posts and were currently undergoing inspections. Among the transferred officials is the head of the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Unit of the Special Immigration Office Level 1 at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Alpha Yuda Indriawan, who has been suspended and is under investigation at the Jakarta Regional Office.

Previously, similar incidents have also sparked public concern. A Chinese citizen released a video claiming to have successfully cleared customs by carrying 500,000 rupiah in his passport when entering the country, and the video triggered widespread concern and heated debate in Indonesian society. Indonesian officials investigated by accessing surveillance video and other ways to confirm that the content of the video is inconsistent with the facts, the Chinese nationals involved in the incident also issued an ''apology statement'', saying that the 500,000 rupiah in the video is the cost of the visa.

This large-scale investigation and removal of officials from office shows the Indonesian government's determination to resolve such problems. This incident also reminds Chinese citizens that they should abide by local laws and regulations when abroad, and if they encounter unreasonable demands, they should collect evidence and give feedback through legal channels in a timely manner. Meanwhile, it is also hoped that the relevant Indonesian authorities will further strengthen their management to protect the normal exchanges and friendly exchanges between citizens of the two countries and avoid the recurrence of similar incidents. We will continue to monitor the progress of the incident.