Badung, Bali. Indonesian authorities have dismantled an international online prostitution network, arresting two Russian nationals involved in the operation. Anastasiia Koveziuk, 27, and Maxim Tokarev, 42, were arrested by a joint team from the Bali Police's Directorate of Cybercrime and the Badung Police at Hotel Koa in Canggu, Bali, on January 10, 2025, at around 3:22 a.m. local time.

The duo is accused of running an online prostitution ring that catered to foreign clients through a website platform. Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya confirmed the arrests during a press conference on Monday, stating that Koveziuk and Tokarev were key operators in the trafficking network.

"We announce the successful operation by the Bali Police and Badung Police in uncovering an online prostitution network, a crime involving human trafficking and violations of the Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) Law," said Adityajaya. "Both suspects played significant roles as pimps and operational managers of the international prostitution network in Bali."

The investigation began following reports of online prostitution activities at Hotel Koa in Canggu. Police found that the suspects were using the hotel to meet with foreign clients.

Koveziuk, who holds a temporary residence permit (KITAS) valid until June 2025, and Tokarev, whose KITAS extends until November 2025, are said to have offered a variety of women for prostitution through the website. The website offers customers the option to choose from a catalog of women from different parts of the world, including Bali. Clients select their preferred country and city before choosing a woman from the available listings. Communication is then conducted via WhatsApp to arrange the location of the meeting.

According to police, the women involved in the operation were typically foreign nationals, with 15 women being provided by Koveziuk and Tokarev to serve foreign clients in Bali. These women charged between $300 and $350 per session, with the proceeds divided among the suspects and the women. The women received 50 percent of the fee, while Koveziuk received 40 percent, and Tokarev took the remaining 10 percent.

The police operation resulted in the seizure of evidence, including four passports, 17 mobile phones, a MacBook, ATM cards, a used bedsheet, pillowcases, condoms, and evidence of bank transactions linked to the suspects. The proceeds from the illegal transactions were deposited into a Bank Permata account under Koveziuk's name.

This operation, which has been ongoing for two years, revealed that Koveziuk controlled the prostitution ring in 12 Indonesian cities, including Bali, and 129 countries worldwide.

"We have uncovered a large-scale online prostitution network, and this case highlights the seriousness of human trafficking and exploitation," said Adityajaya. "We are committed to preventing such criminal activities in our country."

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