Indonesian authorities have successfully apprehended a Chinese National who was an Interpol Red Notice fugitive, deeply involved in a massive online gambling and money laundering syndicate. Yan Zhenxing, the wanted individual, was arrested on December 2, 2024, at the Batam Center International Port in Batam, a significant win in the ongoing global crackdown on illicit online gambling operations.
Yan Zhenxing, a Chinese National and permanent resident of Singapore, was attempting to enter Batam for a holiday with his family when immigration officers identified him through the Border Control Management System. This system flagged him as a subject of an Interpol Red Notice issued by Beijing, highlighting his alleged involvement in a criminal gang responsible for transferring and laundering vast sums of money.
According to Indonesian immigration officials, the Chinese National is suspected of manipulating data to generate illegal profits totaling approximately 130 million yuan (around US$18 million). This significant sum underscores the scale of the online gambling operation he was allegedly involved in, which defrauded numerous Chinese citizens through platforms like “Makau Zianja.”
The arrest of this Chinese National comes amidst a broader effort by Indonesian authorities to combat rampant online gambling. The Directorate General of Immigration, as a key member of Indonesia’s online gambling task force, has reiterated its commitment to actively cooperate with Interpol and other international partners to apprehend fugitives and dismantle such criminal networks.
Following his detention, Yan Zhenxing was handed over to Indonesia’s National Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol in Jakarta for further processing under international legal procedures. The decision regarding his deportation or extradition to China is currently underway, a process that involves intricate legal and diplomatic coordination between the two nations.
This incident also brought to light questions regarding Yan Zhenxing’s prolonged stay in Singapore despite the Interpol Red Notice. Singaporean authorities clarified that they had not received a formal request for assistance from China during his residency, thus lacking the legal authority to apprehend him while he was in their jurisdiction.