Authorities arrested 32 foreign nationals during a raid on an entertainment hub in Batam, Riau Islands, early on Sunday, as they had failed to show proper documents.
Among those who were detained during the raid on bars in Kampung Bule were six Singaporean military personnel who could not show their passports or any duty letters.
The raid was a surprise to the industrial island located near Singapore and known as a tourist destination.
Batam Immigration Office head Teguh Prayitno told the The Jakarta Post on Monday that the joint raid involving the Indonesian military and public order agency staff was part of an operation to control “social problems”
“We have deported those that were caught during the raid [including the Singaporean military personnel],” he said.
A total of 72 people, including 40 Indonesians, were detained for failing to show proper ID during the raid. Seven alleged Philippine sex workers were also detained at a bar.
Yudi Kurnain, a Batam Legislative Council member, condemned the raid, saying that it might discourage tourism in the island.
“They should conduct immigration checks in a humane way, not through such repressive actions,” he said.
