Hundreds of online gambling sites shuttered in Indonesia

The Jakarta Globe reports that the national police force in Indonesia is enjoying success in its latest drive to shut down illegal internet gambling, and has blocked 360 sites operated from Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.

“We are working together with the Communications Ministry in blocking the sites,” Brig. Gen. Viktor Simandjuntak, director of the National Police’s special crimes unit, told local media reporters at a press conference this week.

He added that the gambling websites were linked to 160 bank accounts in Indonesia that are believed to be used for gambling transactions. Police are coordinating with Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to track down the bank accounts’ owners, but no suspects have yet been named.

“We will summon the owners of the bank accounts. If no one comes forward to claim responsibility for the bank accounts, the state will confiscate the funds in the accounts in line with Supreme Court rulings,” the police spokesman said, noting that those who are suspected of involvement in online gambling could face money-laundering charges in addition to gambling charges.

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