Foreigners Pose as Interpol, Rob Money Changer in Bali

Sopian Hadi
July 28, 2025 | 8:35 pm
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A bank staffer arranges American dollar and Indonesian rupiah bank notes at a Bank Syariah Indonesia branch in Bekasi on Feb. 21, 2025. (Antara Photo/Fakhri Hermansyah)
A bank staffer arranges American dollar and Indonesian rupiah bank notes at a Bank Syariah Indonesia branch in Bekasi on Feb. 21, 2025. (Antara Photo/Fakhri Hermansyah)

Denpasar, Bali. An attempted daylight robbery involving two foreign nationals posing as Interpol agents shocked Bali’s Kuta district on Sunday, after the suspects seized hundreds of millions of rupiah from two money changer employees.

The incident, which unfolded at a villa in Banjar Segara, Kuta, quickly went viral on social media after bystanders captured video of a dramatic citizen's arrest. One of the alleged perpetrators, identified as TFO from Azerbaijan, was detained by locals after a brief struggle, while the second suspect remains at large and is the subject of an ongoing police manhunt.

Denpasar Police spokesman I Ketut Sukadi confirmed the incident on Monday, saying the two foreigners had contacted a money changer operation called Artha Jaya Dewata earlier that day. They requested to exchange $12,000 in US dollars and insisted the cash be delivered to a villa on Jalan Segara Merta.

“One of the victims brought Rp 191 million in cash to the villa. After counting the money, the foreigner failed to present the promised US dollars. Suddenly, another man, identified as ‘J’, descended from the second floor, claiming to be an Interpol officer. He then grabbed the victim by the neck and choked him,” Sukadi said.

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As the suspects attempted to flee the scene, one of the victims pursued and tackled TFO, leading to a scuffle that sent bundles of cash flying across the street. Local residents helped restrain the suspect until police arrived.

TFO is currently in custody at the Kuta Police Precinct and undergoing further investigation, while authorities are still searching for the second suspect, who is also believed to be a foreign national.

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