theIndonesian – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has banned problematic foreign nationals from entering Indonesia, including those who abuse investor permits and are caught in drug cases.
“I find you violating, I close you, you cannot come to Indonesia,” Luhut said in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali, Wednesday.
According to him, this step is a form of assertiveness against foreigners who make problems ranging from abusing permits including limited stay permits or investor visas to being involved in drug cases.
He also ensured that prohibiting problematic foreigners from entering Indonesia would create security in the country and provide comfort for the community, tourists and investors.
Moreover, a few days ago joint officers led by the National Police Headquarters arrested foreigners who were breeding hydroponic marijuana plants and drug factories in one of the villas in North Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali.
“We must not be half-hearted, we must be firm. Indeed, because they are Caucasians, this country can dissolve? No,” he said.
Based on data from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Bali Province, during 2023 as many as 340 foreigners were deported from Bali.
This number increased compared to 2022, when 188 foreigners were expelled from the Island of the Gods.
They were deported for various reasons, including misusing their residence permits, exceeding their stay or over stay permits to being involved in criminal cases.
Previously, a joint team of the Directorate of Drug Crimes of the Criminal Investigation of the National Police, Jakarta Customs Office, Bali Customs, Bali Immigration, Bali Police Ditresnarkoba and Badung Police arrested four people in the case of a drug factory and hydroponic marijuana.
Three of the four perpetrators are foreigners, namely Ivan Volovod (31) and Mikhayla Volovod (31) from Ukraine, and another person from Russia, Konstantin Krutz, who was arrested at a villa in Canggu, Badung Regency on Thursday (2/5).
The three foreigners hold limited stay permits as property/real estate investors.
One other perpetrator is an Indonesian citizen with the initials LM who is an accomplice of Fredy Pratama who is the controller of the cross-border drug network.
The suspects are subject to Article 114 paragraph (2) subsidiary to Article 113 paragraph (2), Article 112 paragraph (2), Article 129 letter a and Article 111 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 132 paragraph (1) of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics, with a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of death, as well as a minimum fine of IDR 1 billion and a maximum of IDR 10 billion.
The Indonesian
