Aussie tourist warning after Bali airport staff arrest
Australians travelling to Bali have been issued a warning about what not to do on the Indonesian island paradise.
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Five immigration officers have been arrested in Bali after allegedly fast-tracking foreign tourists through the airport priority arrivals lane in exchange for cash.
The officers were taken into police custody on Tuesday on suspicion of abusing the express system for foreigners in need of additional support on arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, The Bali Sun reports.
Deddy Koerniawan, Assistant for Special Crimes at the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office, told a media conference the alleged scam came to light after complaints from the public.
Mr Koerniawan claimed his team had identified five immigration officers who were allegedly soliciting payment from foreigners to use the priority processing service.
Some of the travellers were eligible for fast track while others were not, he said.
“Fast track services are free of charge for priorities such as the elderly and pregnant women,” he said.
“However, foreigners who use the fast track facility are (routinely being) charged between 100 to 250 thousand rupiah ($10 to $25) per person.
“There was an incident of fast track levies with a nominal value of IDR 100-200 million per month. From this security, the Prosecutor’s Office managed to secure money worth IDR 100 million ($10,000).
“Of course, these profits are illegal, and could damage the image of Bandra International Ngurah Rai.”
He urged tourists not to pay for priority immigration services and to report any incidents of corruption or coercion to the authorities.
In the coming weeks, 90 new auto-gates will be installed across the international terminal to smooth the airport process, 60 in arrivals and 30 in departures.
It came as the mayor of Denpasar met with Jo Stevens, the Australian Consulate General for Bali, in a bid to boost tourism in the family friendly resort area of Sanur following the pandemic.
Mayor I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara said the pair also discussed how an Australian-Bali partnership could create opportunities outside of the tourism sector in areas including education, cultural exchange and the creative industries.
Ms Stevens said: “We would like to thank the Mayor of Denpasar for this visit. We will certainly be ready to communicate again in the future regarding increasing opportunities for co-operation with the City of Denpasar.”
Ms Stevens said Bali was a favourite destination for Australian tourists due to the “charming nature” of the holiday island.
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