By Sandra Gisela
KUTA, THEIMAGE.ID – The Ngurah Rai Special Class Immigration Office conducted a crackdown on foreigners in the Canggu area of North Kuta on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. This operation was launched following immigration intelligence indicating that many foreigners were engaging in UMKM (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), potentially taking away job opportunities from local residents.
“The target of this operation is foreigners suspected of engaging in activities in the UMKM sector, such as vehicle rentals, salons (hairstyling and nails), beauty clinics, tattoo artists, accessory sellers, yoga instructors, swimming instructors, diving instructors, photographers, and others who do not have the appropriate permits,” explained the Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Suhendra.
From the sweep of 15 locations in the Canggu area, the operation team successfully apprehended 6 foreigners who had violated the law, namely KDK (40 years old, from Ivory Coast), CLJ (37 years old, from Australia), LT (36 years old, from Russia), NV (34 years old, from Russia), KD (31 years old, from Ukraine), and DO (25 years old, from Russia).
It was discovered that all six foreigners had entered through Ngurah Rai at different times between April 2023 and August 2024 with investment permits. All six were found to have violated immigration regulations by engaging in activities that did not align with their permits, such as working as hairstylists, nail artists, and receptionists at beauty clinics.
“The activities carried out by these foreigners are a misuse of their stay permits (KITAS). They were supposed to be investing but were found to be working. This violates Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning immigration,” continued the Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Pramella Yunidar Pasaribu.
Along with the investor KITAS, the operation team also seized evidence in the form of travel documents (passports) and photographs of the six foreigners’ activities for further investigation.
“Furthermore, we will continue to conduct investigations, starting from the permits they actually hold to how they were able to enter the informal sector to carry out activities. We will find out who is involved in the process, including the licensing of the business premises,” said Suhendra.***
