BALI - The Denpasar immigration authorities in Bali have arrested three foreign nationals for allegedly operating an online prostitution ring on the popular tourist island.

The arrests were carried out during two coordinated raids on May 2 at a villa in Mengwi, Badung Regency, and a hotel in Denpasar, officials said.

Denpasar Immigration Office head R. Haryo Sakti said the operation followed the discovery of a website allegedly advertising sexual services involving foreign nationals in Bali.

“We conducted the raids after officials found a website indicating that several foreign tourists in Bali were offering sex work online,” Mr Sakti said on May 4.

In the first raid at the Mengwi villa, officers detained a 22-year-old Russian woman identified as ED and a 21-year-old Nigerian woman identified as EJN.

In a separate raid at the Denpasar hotel, the authorities arrested a 27-year-old Russian woman identified as AR, who was found with a man at the time of her detention.

Immigration records show that EJN entered Indonesia through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on March 21, while ED arrived via I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on March 10. AR entered Bali on April 22, officials said.

“They entered Indonesia on tourist visas but are allegedly conducting illegal activities in Bali,” Mr Sakti said. “We will not tolerate any tourist activities that violate Indonesian law and norms.”

The arrests came less than two months after two French nationals and an Italian citizen were detained by police in Bali on allegations of producing and distributing pornographic videos on the island that later circulated widely on social media.

The suspects were charged under Article 401 of the Indonesian Cri...