BATAM | INDATANEWS.COM - Barelang City Police (Polresta Barelang) have uncovered a document forgery case involving official documents, specifically fake Class C driver's licenses that were not registered in the official database of the Polresta Barelang Traffic Police Licensing Administration System (Satpas).
Police arrested three people who are suspected of being involved in the production and distribution of the fake driver's licenses.
The case was disclosed during a press conference held at 11 a.m. local time on Friday, September 25, 2026, in the lobby of the Polresta Barelang headquarters. The press conference was led by Deputy Chief of Polresta Barelang AKBP Fadli Agus.
During the briefing, Fadli reaffirmed the police's commitment to combating the forgery of state documents, which can harm both members of the public and law enforcement institutions.
The press conference was also attended by Head of the Criminal Investigation Division of Polresta Barelang Kompol Agung Tri Poerbowo, Head of Unit V for Economic and Certain Crimes (Tipidter) of the Polresta Barelang Criminal Investigation Division Iptu M. Alvin Royantara, and Head of the Registration and Identification Unit of the Polresta Barelang Traffic Police Ipda Ely Samiyanti.
Police officers explained the course of the investigation, the respective roles of the suspects, the evidence seized and the official procedure for obtaining a driver's license.
Case Uncovered Through Driver's License Verification
AKBP Fadli Agus said the investigation began after officers at the
Polresta Barelang Satpas received information from several members of the public. The individuals had come to the Integrated One-Stop Service (PTSP) building to have the authenticity of their Class C driver's licenses verified.
Officers then examined the documents presented by the individuals. The examination showed that two Class C driver's licenses issued in the names of victims identified by the initials AU, 30, and KU, 27, were not registered in the official database of the Polresta Barelang Satpas.
Based on the findings, police suspected that the two documents were counterfeit.
The Polresta Barelang Criminal Investigation Division subsequently used the information as the basis for further investigation. The operational investigation team gathered information and followed leads concerning individuals suspected of being involved in producing and distributing the fake driver's licenses.
The investigation led officers to a woman identified by the initials DA, 28. Police arrested DA in an industrial area in
Batam Centre. During an examination of her mobile phone, investigators discovered WhatsApp messages that led them to a man identified by the initials RWP, 30.
Police then expanded the investigation and arrested RWP in the Eden Park residential area in Batam Centre.
Further investigation led officers to another suspect. SAP, 32, was eventually arrested at his residence in the Ruli Pasar Induk Jodoh area of Tanjung Uma.
When police arrested SAP, he was working on the layout of a Class C driver's license using Photoshop image-editing software. The finding strengthened investigators' suspicion that SAP was involved in producing the counterfeit documents.
DO NOT USE UNOFFICIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE SERVICES: Deputy Chief of
Polresta Barelang AKBP Fadli Agus urged the public not to use unofficial services to obtain driver's licenses and to immediately report any suspected distribution of counterfeit driver's licenses. (PHOTO: Dalil Harahap)
How the Fake Driver's Licenses Were Made
The investigation found that each suspect had a different role. RWP told DA that he was a former member of the Indonesian National Police. He subsequently offered prospective applicants Class C driver's licenses for Rp600,000 per person.
RWP promoted the service by claiming to have contacts within Polresta Barelang, meaning applicants would not have to undergo the official driver's license issuance procedure.
Through the service, applicants were then connected with the person responsible for producing the counterfeit driver's license documents.
SAP was responsible for producing the fake driver's licenses. He used a laptop, printer, hologram stickers and Photoshop software for the process.
Investigators found that SAP studied the design of genuine driver's licenses using information and templates available on the internet in order to produce documents resembling official licenses.
To produce the counterfeit documents, prospective applicants were required to provide photographs of their identity cards, selfies and signatures. The information was then used to fill in templates created by SAP for the fake driver's licenses.
Police seized several pieces of evidence during the arrests. The evidence included an Asus laptop, a Canon printer, two mobile phones, 182 hologram sheets bearing the words Korlantas Polri and Tribrata, two sheets of glossy photo paper and 15 Class C driver's licenses bearing different identities.
Investigators subsequently examined all 15 seized Class C driver's licenses together with the Polresta Barelang Satpas.
The examination found that none of the 15 licenses had been issued by the
Polresta Barelang Satpas.
The discovery is an important part of the investigation because it indicates a production process involving different identities and conducted outside the official procedure for issuing driver's licenses.
NEW DRIVER'S LICENSES MUST FOLLOW OFFICIAL PROCEDURES: Head of the Registration and Identification Unit of the
Polresta Barelang Traffic Police Ipda Ely Samiyanti explained that issuing a new driver's license requires administrative verification, identification, photography, signature and fingerprint recording, as well as an examination. (PHOTO: Dalil Harahap)
Police Warn Against Unofficial Driver's License Services
Deputy Chief of
Polresta Barelang AKBP Fadli Agus urged the public not to use unofficial services to produce or obtain driver's licenses.
He specifically advised residents not to readily trust individuals who promise to obtain a driver's license without following the required procedures.
He also urged members of the public to immediately report information concerning the suspected production or distribution of counterfeit driver's licenses to the police.
Information from the public, he said, is important to prevent the circulation of forged documents and ensure that those responsible are held accountable in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, Head of the Registration and Identification Unit of the
Polresta Barelang Traffic Police Ipda Ely Samiyanti explained that people applying for a new driver's license must personally visit the
Polresta Barelang Satpas.
Each applicant is required to complete several procedural stages before a driver's license can be issued.
The procedure includes administrative document verification, identification, photographing, signature and fingerprint recording, as well as an examination.
Only after all requirements have been fulfilled will officers process the driver's license application in accordance with the applicable regulations.
For driver's license renewals, members of the public can use the official Digital Korlantas Polri application.
Ely warned residents against providing personal data to other individuals who offer driver's license services outside the official procedure.
She stressed that people who offer to issue a driver's license without the applicant being physically present should be treated with caution.
Such a practice does not comply with the applicable driver's license issuance procedure and may be connected to the forgery of official documents.
In connection with the case, RWP and SAP have been charged under Article 392 Paragraph (1) Letter a and/or Article 391 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 20 Letter c, Article 23 Paragraph (1) and Article 126 Paragraph (1) of Indonesian Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana).
The two suspects face a maximum prison sentence of eight years.
Polresta Barelang also urged the public to immediately report any suspected criminal activity or document forgery to the nearest police station or through the police emergency hotline at 110.
Police said every report would be followed up in accordance with applicable legal procedures.
The action is also part of
Polresta Barelang's efforts to protect the authenticity of police documents and prevent members of the public from becoming victims of individuals offering driver's licenses through unofficial channels.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Dalil Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala