2 S'poreans among 197 arrested in Batam illegal casino raid, S$520,731 seized from safes

Indonesian police arrested 197 people, including two Singaporeans, in a raid on an illegal casino in Batam.

The raid took place on Aug. 15 at Nine Stage Lounge and Bar at about 9:30 pm, according to Batam Today.

Officers surrounded the building

According to Shin Min Daily News, the operation involved dozens of armed officers surrounding the building, which was made up of around 20 shophouse units.

According to nearby residents, the ground floor had long housed arcade gaming machines, with the casino operating on the second and third floors.

Officers spent about three hours at the scene before concluding their investigations and escorting the suspects into police vehicles.

Three months of investigation

Deputy Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Indonesian National Police, Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, told Batam Today the raid was carried out following an in-depth investigation lasting two to three months, based on public reports of alleged gambling at the location.

He said investigators were still interrogating those who had been detained, including managers suspected of playing significant roles in the gambling operation.

Who was arrested

Of the 197 people detained, 96 were gamblers. 10 of those were foreigners: seven Chinese nationals, two Singaporeans and one Malaysian. The rest were Indonesian citizens.

The remaining 101 were the owner, two managers, five cashiers, one supervisor, 25 chip exchangers, 65 dealers and two marketing staff.

S$520,731 in three safes

Nunung said police seized three safes containing 7.29 billion Rupiah (S$520,731).

Police are investigating those arrested for organising illegal gambling, and are also examining whether money laundering was involved.

Those convicted of gambling offences face up to 15 years' jail.