BADUNG, Bali – Bali immigration authorities have detained an Australian national wanted by international law enforcement after he allegedly attempted to leave Indonesia aboard a private jet using a fraudulent Brazilian passport.
Video embedded below captures the dramatic moment Bali immigration officers stopped a private jet preparing for departure and detained an Australian suspect wanted in an international criminal investigation.
The incident occurred on Saturday, June 6, at approximately 10 p.m. local time during immigration clearance procedures for a private aircraft, CAPA JET flight N917CJ, scheduled to depart from Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for Maputo, Mozambique.
According to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, the aircraft was carrying three crew members and four foreign passengers identified by their initials: ARR of Portugal, GAM of Brazil, GS of Italy, and FMJ of Brazil.
Immigration officers became suspicious while examining the travel documents of a passenger traveling under the name GAM using a Brazilian passport. A subsequent check reportedly found no record of legal entry into Indonesia or a valid stay permit associated with the identity presented.
Authorities then postponed the passenger’s departure and initiated further verification procedures.
Before additional questioning could take place, however, all passengers reportedly re-entered the aircraft without authorization, and the jet prepared for departure despite instructions from immigration officials.
In response, Ngurah Rai Immigration coordinated with airport authorities to stop the flight and order the aircraft to return from the runway to the airport’s VIP terminal. Footage released by immigration authorities, embedded in this article, captures the moments officers intercepted the aircraft and moved in to secure the suspect.
After the aircraft was brought back, officers conducted a search and discovered the passenger identified as GAM allegedly hiding inside one of the jet’s lavatories, while the remaining passengers were located in the cabin.
The video also shows officers escorting the suspect under guard following the operation, offering a rare glimpse into how Indonesian authorities handle high-profile international law enforcement cases at Bali’s main international gateway.
Further investigation revealed that the Brazilian passport used by the individual was fraudulent. Authorities later identified the man as AP, a 55-year-old Australian citizen born in Whyalla, South Australia.
According to immigration officials, checks through international law enforcement databases showed AP matched an Interpol alert with a 100 percent identification score and was listed as a wanted suspect.
Information received from the National Central Bureau (NCB) Canberra indicated that AP is being sought in connection with a transnational criminal investigation.
Immigration authorities said documents linked to the Interpol notice identify AP as a significant figure within a Transnational Serious Organised Crime (TSOC) network and a prominent member of an international outlaw motorcycle gang.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has alleged that AP was involved in several large-scale illegal narcotics trafficking operations targeting Australia.
Authorities further stated that AP had allegedly spent years evading law enforcement and was suspected of attempting to leave the region using unlawfully obtained travel documents in an effort to avoid arrest.
Following the discovery, Ngurah Rai Immigration coordinated with Indonesia’s National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), the International Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police, and other relevant agencies to further investigate the case.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise also conducted inspections of the aircraft and its cargo.
Given the suspected links to transnational organized crime, authorities said cooperation was established with both the AFP and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
During the investigation, all passengers, crew members, and the aircraft were temporarily prevented from departing Indonesia.
AP was subsequently taken into custody, placed on Indonesia’s permanent blacklist, and deported to Australia for further legal proceedings, according to immigration officials.
The operation was partially documented on video, with footage showing the aircraft being stopped and the suspect taken into custody. The images have attracted significant public attention due to the suspect’s alleged links to international organized crime and narcotics trafficking investigations.
Ngurah Rai Immigration Office head Bugie Kurniawan said the operation demonstrated Indonesia’s commitment to preventing the country from being used as a refuge or transit point for international fugitives.
“Ngurah Rai Immigration continues to carry out strict and professional immigration control and inspections to safeguard national sovereignty and security. There is no room for fugitives or transnational criminals to use Indonesia as a place of refuge,” Bugie said.
He added that the operation reflected the Directorate General of Immigration’s commitment to protecting national security while strengthening cooperation against transnational crime.
The case remains under coordination between Indonesian authorities and international law enforcement agencies.
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in names, locations, or event details. Readers are welcome to contact the editorial team for any clarification.