Three Foreign Nationals Using Fake Passports Detained by Soekarno-Hatta Immigration

Tangerang, KORANTRANSAKSI.com – The Class I Special Immigration Office at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has detained three foreign nationals who attempted to enter Indonesia using fake passports. The individuals are HS (31) from Morocco, AI (52) from Nigeria, and ADA (28) from Iraq.

Head of the Jakarta Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, Pamuji Raharja, stated that “the use of fraudulent travel documents is a serious violation that poses a threat to national border security.”

The case was uncovered during routine inspections at the immigration counters of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. HS entered Indonesia on January 4, 2026, aboard Etihad Airways flight EY473 from Abu Dhabi en route to Australia, using a fake Saudi Arabian passport.

Meanwhile, AI arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on December 21, 2025, using a visit visa. She traveled on Garuda Indonesia flight GA910 from Doha, transiting through Portugal to Italy, using a fake Burkina Faso passport. ADA, on the other hand, entered Indonesia on February 26, 2026, aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH727, using a fake Australian passport.

Immigration officers grew suspicious of the passports presented and referred the documents to the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Unit (Inteldakim) for further examination at the Immigration Forensic Laboratory.

Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, Galih Priya Kartika Perdhana, explained that the suspects allegedly used fake passports to facilitate onward travel to Europe and Australia. “The motive is economic,” Galih stated.

He further added that the three foreign nationals are suspected of violating Article 119 paragraph (2) of Law Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to IDR 500 million.

Galih noted that the case was uncovered due to the vigilance of officers in examining travel documents, as well as the implementation of the Passenger Analysis Unit (PAU) system at immigration checkpoints. He emphasized that heightened vigilance has been necessary in response to significant global geopolitical dynamics in recent days, particularly conflicts and tensions in the Middle East.

“This situation not only affects regional stability but also has the potential to trigger various transnational crimes, including the misuse and falsification of travel documents,” Galih concluded. (TIM)