Several foreign tourists and expats were involved in prostitution cases in Bali throughout 2024. Starting from opening spa services and becoming commercial sex workers.
They become commercial sex workers and offer services with an open booking system online. Many of the cases were initiated by foreigners who initially vacationed in Bali but overstayed their visas on arrival. It is known that they live in Bali by becoming sex workers.
Head of the Immigration Division of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Bali, Samuel Toba said that most foreign prostitutes initially came to Bali for a holiday. The high interest of foreign tourists vacationing in Bali is also used as an opportunity to reap profits illegally. It’s important to remember that Indonesia has not yet legalised sex work.
“The intention was to come here (to Bali) for tourism. Apparently, when they got here, they saw an opportunity (to engage in prostitution),” Samuel told Detik on December 4, 2024.
Samuel admits that immigration officers have difficulty ensuring and detecting the purpose of foreign tourists coming to Bali. Unless there is criminal record information from the country of origin’s authorities against the foreigner concerned.
Usually, foreigners caught admit that they use travel to Bali as a pretext. According to him, most of them really want to sell themselves in Bali. Including foreigners who see opportunities for prostitution services under the guise of entertainment or massage.
Immigration officers successfully exposed several foreign prostitutes selling themselves in Bali. Most recently, two Russian women with the initials AT (24) and KM (22) were deported because they were involved in prostitution practices by becoming plus-plus massage therapists in a villa in the Seminyak area, Kuta, Badung, Bali.
A series of prostitution case by foreigners in Bali
1. Spa practice under the guise of prostitution
Authorities finally revealed the case of a prostitution business disguised as a spa, run by an Australian couple in Bali. The police arrested the couple with the initials MJLG (50) and LJLG (44) for running their prostitution business on Jalan Mertasari, Kerobokan Kelod, North Kuta District, Badung Regency.
In addition, the police also arrested four Indonesian employees, with the initials WS (37), NMWS (34), WW (29), and IGNJ.
Information from the public about rampant prostitution in North Kuta revealed the operation’s start. The police conducted a series of investigations and then found the spa serving prostitution.
The police revealed that the business run by the foreign couple had been operating for approximately one year. They have a traditional massage business license. From the initial investigation, the illegal business can reap profits of IDR 1 to IDR 3 billion per month.
Authorities named the perpetrators as suspects and charged them with multiple articles—namely, Article 29 and/or Article 30 in conjunction with Article 4, paragraphs (1) and (2), of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 44 of 2008 concerning Pornography—carrying a maximum 12-year prison sentence.
2. Brazilian lawyer who became a sex worker
Indonesian authorities deported AGA, a 34-year-old Brazilian lawyer, at the end of November 2024 because she desperately sought to become a prostitute in Bali. The 34-year-old woman charged IDR 7.8 million for one sexual encounter with a customer.
Immigration authorities stated that AGA violated Article 75 paragraph 1 of Law Number 6 of 2011 on Immigration.
Because immediate deportation was impossible, officials delivered the foreigner to the Denpasar Detention Centre on November 19, 2024, for further processing.
3. Prostitution practice of Ugandan citizen
In August, the Immigration Office in Bali expelled a foreign national from Uganda with the initials JN for allegedly being involved in a prostitution case.
JN, a 34-year-old woman, was deported back to her country through Soekarno Hatta Airport with the escort of Denpasar IDC officers.
Authorities detained her at the Denpasar Detention Centre because she waited to gain the funds for a homeward ticket.
