As Many as 13 Foreign Nationals Detained in Bali Sex Work Crackdown

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A joint crackdown by immigration authorities and local police in Bali resulted in the detention of 13 foreign nationals suspected of operating an illegal sex work ring across high-end tourist enclaves, highlighting intensified oversight on visa abuse on the resort island.

The joint task force, comprising officers from the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, the Bali Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, and the Bali Regional Police, raided multiple villas and apartments across Canggu, Seminyak, and Umalas on Thursday night, September 17, 2026.

Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office Muhamad Novyandri confirmed in a written statement received in Jakarta on Friday, September 18, 2026, that the targeted sweep focused on key hotspots where illicit activities were being facilitated through digital platforms and messaging applications.

"From the operation in Canggu, we secured one Russian female national and one Ukrainian male national who are suspected of acting as facilitators for these prostitution services," Novyandri said, as quoted by Antara.

The Russian national, identified by her initials IP, was apprehended at a villa in Canggu for allegedly misusing her remote worker stay permit, valid until November 8, 2026, to operate as a commercial sex worker accepting bookings via WhatsApp.

Further field investigation led officers to an apartment unit occupied by a Ukrainian man, OG, who held a limited stay permit (ITAS) as an investor. Authorities discovered that OG's permit had expired on October 14, 2025, and he is suspected of organizing and facilitating the illicit operation.

In Seminyak, officers tracked online platforms promoting escort services before conducting surveillance on a villa located on Jl. Bidadari. The raid resulted in the detention of three Nigerian women holding expired internship visit visas. Record checks revealed the trio had overstayed their permits by 58, 94, and 134 days, respectively.

Meanwhile, operations in Umalas, initiated through monitoring encrypted Telegram channels, dyielded seven additional arrests at a local villa. Officers detained four women consisting of three Russian nationals and one Kazakhstani national, along with four Nigerian women suspected of stay permit misuse under similar operational methods.

In total, the joint force secured 13 foreign nationals, comprising 12 women and one man. Novyandri detailed that the coordinated action was launched following tip-offs from the local community, which were systematically investigated using field intelligence, undercover surveillance, and digital verification across several social media platforms.

"Currently, all thirteen foreign nationals are undergoing further interrogation at the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office," Novyandri said.

According to Novyandri, the suspects face charges under Article 75 of Law No. 6/2011 on Immigration, along with potential criminal prosecution for related offenses.

"They face strict sanctions, including deportation and a five-year entry ban, as well as criminal prosecution in accordance with applicable laws," Novyandri emphasized.

Head of the Bali Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, Ramdhani, affirmed that the enforcement action reflects the government's commitment to maintaining law, order, and quality tourism across the province.

"We fully support Bali's tourism, but we leave no room for foreign nationals who abuse their stay permits, break the law, or damage the image of Bali tourism," Ramdhani concluded. ***