Financial intelligence, legal aid key to cracking online scam rings

Financial intelligence and mutual legal assistance (MLA) are the primary tools for successfully investigating and dismantling online scam syndicates, according to Arie Afriansyah, a professor of International Maritime Law at the University of Indonesia. He stressed that simply exchanging intelligence is insufficient, as it may not be admissible as evidence in court.

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Financial intelligence and mutual legal assistance or Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) are the main keys in joint investigations between Indonesia and Thailand to uncover online scam syndicates.

Afriansyah explained that financial intelligence units, such as Indonesia's PPATK, must trace accounts, shell companies, crypto assets, and beneficial owners from the outset. Indonesia already participates in the ASEAN MLAT treaty, which has been in effect since 2009, facilitating criminal matters among member states. He advocated for parallel investigations and coordinated operations under the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) framework to map out entire syndicate networks, from recruiters and scam compound managers to technology providers, account holders, and protectors.

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The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) and related national financial intelligence authorities must trace accounts, shell companies, crypto assets, and beneficial owners from the beginning.

Indonesia and Thailand recently agreed to strengthen their law enforcement collaboration, focusing on information exchange, intelligence sharing, and joint investigations to combat transnational crime. Presidents Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul committed to enhancing the tracking of financial flows linked to criminal networks and improving coordination to dismantle cross-border crime syndicates.

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Real-time data exchange must be followed by parallel investigations, coordinated operations, asset freezing, and victim protection based on the non-punishment principle.

To provide maximum protection for Indonesian citizens targeted by these scams, Afriansyah advised a multi-layered diplomatic approach. He noted Indonesia's strong position due to the large number of victims and its strategic relationships within ASEAN. However, he cautioned that Thailand cannot act against scam centers in Myanmar or Cambodia without cooperation from those countries. Indonesia must pursue diplomatic channels, secure consular access, set timelines for victim repatriation, and ensure victims are not treated as perpetrators, while simultaneously cracking down on domestic recruiters.

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Indonesia needs to pursue layered diplomacy, request consular access and set a timeline for repatriation, and ensure victims are not treated as perpetrators. At the same time, Indonesia must crack down on domestic recruiters.