Tangerang. Indonesian immigration authorities have deported 92 Chinese nationals arrested in connection with an alleged online gambling and investment fraud syndicate in Batam and barred them from re-entering the country for life, a senior immigration official said on Sunday.

The mass deportation was carried out through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on a China Southern Airlines flight bound for Guangzhou, according to Galih Kartika Perdhana, head of the airport's immigration office.

The operation was conducted at the formal request of the Chinese government, which dispatched a special escort team to accompany the deportees and covered all transportation and operational costs associated with their return, Galih said.

He said immigration authorities implemented special operating procedures to ensure the deportation proceeded securely without disrupting regular passenger services.

“We applied a dedicated immigration clearance process, from biometric identity verification to escorted boarding. The procedure was specifically designed to ensure the smooth repatriation of all 92 detainees while minimizing disruption to regular airport operations,” Galih said.

Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said Indonesia would take a zero-tolerance approach toward foreign nationals involved in transnational crime.

“We expect these deportations and lifetime entry bans to serve as a strong deterrent and discourage other foreign nationals from engaging in criminal activities in Indonesia,” Hendarsam said. “We will not provide any room for foreigners who threaten public order and national security.”

He added that the Directorate General of Immigration would continue strengthening immigration enforcement and border surveillance as part of broader efforts to safeguard Indonesia's sovereignty and protect the public from transnational crime.