DENPASAR, Bali – Bank Indonesia’s Bali Representative Office, in cooperation with the provincial police, is investigating 68 illegal money changers in Bali after receiving reports from the public about unlicensed foreign exchange operations.

“The existence of licensed money changers is crucial to support the tourism sector,” said Henry Nosih Saturwa, Head of Division at BI Bali, in Denpasar on Monday.

He emphasized that licensed operators protect tourists from fraud, money laundering, and counterfeit currency. “Synergy between authorities and business players is key to maintaining order in Bali’s foreign exchange services,” he added.

The 68 suspected unlicensed money changers were reported through the BI Patrol channel, and BI Bali continues to work closely with the Bali Police to follow up on the cases.

Henry outlined the characteristics of licensed operators, which include displaying the official BI-issued logo, posting their business permit certificate, and stating the name of their registered company. Staff identity cards must also be visible.

As part of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) compliance, licensed money changers are also required to request customer identification such as an ID card or passport for verification.