Three alleged fraudsters from Russia, South Korea, and the Czech Republic, have been handed over to their respective countries after a joint effort by Bali Police and Immigration forces this December.
Aleksandra Nevodnichaia, 31, Han Dongheon, 58, and Robert Lleyton Smidl, 51, were intercepted by Bali Police in connection with separate fraud cases between Dec.1 and Dec. 11. Two of the suspects were arrested at at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, while Smidl, the Czech, was discovered at his residence on Jl. Tukad Balian in Denpasar, according to a report by Detik.
“Each of the suspects had been issued an international Red Notice,” explained Sugeng Sudarso, Chief of Bali Police’s Chief Criminal Investigation Unit in a press conference yesterday. “The request from Russia, for Aleksandra Nevodnichaia, was in connection with a large fraud cause, and so she was arrested by immigration upon entering Bali,” he continued.
Nevodnichaia is accused of committing fraud cases worth more than RUB4.3 million (US$64,763.72), while Korean Han Dongheon’s total is believed to amount to US$2.5 million, and Czech Smidl’s cases are reportedly worth tens of thousands of American dollars.
Talking to Antara News Sudarsa explained the motives behind suspected criminals choosing to flee to busy tourist hubs like Bali. “They deliberately look for countries that are international tourist destinations, with the hope that Interpol will not detect them.”
In efforts to root out wanted fugitives using Bali as an escape route, Bali Police and Immigration forces have developed new measures. “There are now systems and tools in place at Immigration that have been integrated with Interpol which is already monitoring fugitives from abroad,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the officers representing the Czech Republic Police Headquarters, named as ‘Tedy’ by Detik, expressed his gratitude to Bali Police and Immigration departments for helping to capture Smidl, the Czech fugitive.
“We are grateful for the cooperation with the Indonesian police, Bali Regional Police and Immigration. We have often worked with Indonesia and Bali, for the time being we have managed to return four large cases from 2014 to the present, including murder cases.”
Smidl, Nevodnichaia and Han Dongheon are due to be sent back to their respective countries this week, where they will await trial.
