Jakarta. Indonesian immigration authorities have deported 25 Vietnamese nationals for violating the terms of their residence permits after linking them to a suspected online investment fraud operation based in the country.

The group was flown out of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang on a VietJet Air flight after being transferred from the Tanjung Pinang Immigration Detention Center in the Riau Islands.

Galih Priya Kartika Perdhana, head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, said officers escorted the detainees from their arrival at the airport until their departure from the international terminal.

"The detainees were escorted by Soekarno-Hatta immigration officers from Terminal 1C until they officially departed through Terminal 2 International Departures," Galih said in a statement on Friday.

The deportations followed an immigration enforcement operation conducted by officers in Batam, who raided an apartment in the Baloi area that authorities said was being used as the group's operational base.

Immigration officials concluded that the Vietnamese nationals had engaged in activities inconsistent with the purpose of their residence permits and suspected them of operating an online investment scam.

The group was subsequently subjected to administrative immigration sanctions, including deportation and re-entry bans, in accordance with Indonesian immigration regulations.

Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said all foreign nationals in Indonesia must comply with the conditions of their visas and residence permits, warning that authorities would continue to take firm action against violations.

"This deportation demonstrates that decisive immigration enforcement has a direct impact on protecting the public. We will not allow Indonesia's borders to be misused, as maintaining public security and order remains our priority," Hendarsam said.

He added that immigration authorities would continue strengthening monitoring of foreign nationals throughout Indonesia as part of efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and enforce immigration laws.

The case is the latest involving foreign nationals suspected of using Indonesia as a base for cross-border cybercrime operations, including online investment fraud.

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