Jakarta. Indonesian police on Sunday facilitated the return of 29 citizens who were deported from the Philippines for allegedly working with an online scam and gambling syndicate.

The individuals were accused of being involved with a criminal network operating out of Kanlaon Tower in Pasay City, Manila, according to Brig. Gen. Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of the Indonesian National Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol.

“They were arrested by Philippine authorities for crimes related to online gambling and scams,” Untung said. “We coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy in Manila to bring them home just before midnight on Saturday.”

Upon their return, Indonesian authorities will conduct further investigations to determine whether the deportees violated domestic laws.

“We will investigate the syndicate they were involved in and identify which of the 29 individuals are victims and which are perpetrators,” Untung said.

This development comes just weeks after the Indonesian government repatriated hundreds of citizens who had been trafficked or coerced into working for online scam networks in Myanmar, with assistance from Chinese and Thai authorities.

A total of 554 Indonesians -- 449 men and 105 women -- had been lured by false promises of high-paying jobs in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, only to be forced into scam operations under conditions resembling digital slavery.

They were among more than 7,000 people from various nationalities rescued through joint operations involving Chinese and Thai authorities as well as local militias in Myanmar.

According to government data, over 4,700 Indonesians have been rescued from transnational cybercrime syndicates in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam between 2020 and 2023.

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