Badung officials detain 13 foreigners in prostitution operation

Badung — Indonesian immigration officials and Bali police detained 13 foreign nationals during a joint operation in Umalas, Seminyak and Canggu on Thursday evening, Sept. 17, 2026. The operation examined suspected misuse of residence permits and alleged prostitution-related activity.

The change comes as Indonesian immigration authorities are applying closer scrutiny to foreigners whose activities do not match the purposes of their residence permits. The Directorate General of Immigration is the national agency responsible for immigration administration and enforcement, while the Bali Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration worked with Ngurah Rai Immigration Office and Bali police in the operation.

Officials said the 13 detainees were taken to Ngurah Rai Immigration Office for further examination of their identities, travel documents and initial statements. The operation began at 17.00 WITA (UTC+8), according to the immigration agency.

Why the Badung operation matters to foreign residents and visitors

For a foreigner in Bali, a residence permit is tied to the activities it authorizes. Immigration officials said the operation targeted people suspected of using their permits for activities that were not permitted, including alleged commercial sex work or facilitating prostitution. A foreign national can therefore face immigration proceedings when authorities believe the person’s conduct does not match the stated purpose of the stay.

The immigration agency said eight women were detained in Umalas: four Nigerian nationals, three Russian nationals and one Kazakh national. In Seminyak, officials detained three Nigerian women. In Canggu, they detained a Russian woman and a Ukrainian man who was suspected of facilitating prostitution services.

The detainees were being examined for suspected violations of Article 75 of Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration, as well as possible criminal offences. The reports said the case could result in deportation and a five-year entry ban, or criminal proceedings under applicable law.

Sources

• Directorate General of Immigration — Indonesian government agency
• The Jakarta Post — Indonesian English-language newspaper
• detikBali — Indonesian news outlet
• balipost.com
• jpnn.com