Jakarta. The Indonesian Immigration Directorate has detained three Pakistani nationals who attempted to enter Indonesia using fake French passports and ID cards at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten Province, an official said on Monday.

The motive behind their attempt to enter Indonesia illegally remains unclear.

The suspects, identified by their initials SZR, TS, and MZ, were arrested on February 12 after arriving on a flight from Bangkok.

“The three Pakistani nationals claimed to be French citizens and presented fraudulent passports and ID cards in an attempt to enter Indonesian territory,” said Arief Munandar, head of the Jakarta Immigration Office.

Upon arrival, they paid for visa-on-arrival documents and underwent biometric verification at the airport’s automated border control system. However, despite multiple attempts, the automated gates failed to recognize their biometric data, Arief explained.

An immigration officer approached them to assist, but they were unable to communicate in French or English, raising suspicions.

The three were then taken to an interrogation room, where further checks confirmed their travel documents were fake.

The suspects are now facing charges under Indonesia’s immigration law, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to Rp 500 million ($30,831) for falsifying documents and illegal entry.