Jakarta Police Arrest Two Liberians Over 'black Dollar' Scam

March 27, 2026 | 12:35 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Jakarta Police arrested two Liberian nationals over suspicions of involvement in a "black dollar" scam operation. Head of Public Information Division of the Jakarta Metro Police, Commissioner Andaru Rahutomo, said the two were arrested in an apartment in the Meruya area of West Jakarta on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

"Two Liberian nationals were detained for fraud related to the black dollar scam," he said in a written statement on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

The two arrested individuals are identified by the initials I and SDT, but Andaru has yet to disclose how the scam was operated and the two suspects' specified roles in the crime. 

Andaru stated that the police confiscated a suitcase suspected to contain counterfeit cash. The police are currently probing the two suspects. "During the arrest, a suitcase suspected to contain counterfeit money was confiscated," he said.

Quoting Antara, the two suspects were arrested while having a meal in a room within the apartment building.

The officers showed the arrest warrant to the suspects, and immediately conducted a search on them. In a video recording, the officers were seen confiscating a suitcase containing a bundle wrapped in brown, suspected to contain materials for black dollar production.

The black dollar scam involves the use of foreign currency coated with carbon to deceive Immigration and Customs officials and smuggle it into Indonesia.

Read: Indonesia Re-Evaluates E-Commerce Rules to Curb Online Fraud

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