Kortastipidkor Seizes Rp60 Billion from de’Clan Signature Cafe

JAKARTA — A joint team from the National Police’s Corruption Crime Eradication Corps (Kortastipidkor) and the Metro Jaya Police seized nearly Rp60 billion in cash from de’Clan Signature Cafe in South Jakarta on Monday (8/7/2026). The huge find came as a result of the development of an investigation into corruption and money laundering involving private parties.

The money was found in various foreign currencies stored in a safe at the business location. The search began intensively in the morning, involving a financial forensics team to verify the total amount of assets found at the scene.

Money Laundering Modus Behind the F&B Business

The seizure was not just an ordinary collection of evidence. Law enforcement officers suspect de’Clan Cafe served as a stopover for proceeds of corruption before they were moved into other assets. The move dealt a major blow to the corruption network, which is believed to have used entertainment and culinary businesses to disguise the origin of illicit funds.

Head of Kortastipidkor Polri, Insp. Gen. Djoko Poerwanto, said his team had been tracking the suspicious flow of funds for the past several months. “We are not only focused on the main perpetrators, but also on the flow of funds entering business sectors. This cafe is only one of several points we are investigating,” Djoko stressed during the search process.

The impact of this case is broad for the public, especially those who place great importance on the integrity of the business sector in Jakarta. Public trust in the transparency of business management in the capital could erode if money laundering practices like this are allowed to spread. Business owners must now be more careful in running operations so they do not become entangled in legal trouble due to unverified transactions. In addition, banks and financial services are expected to tighten *know your customer* (KYC) protocols for customers with cash-intensive business profiles such as cafes or restaurants.

Details of Asset Findings and Investigation Strategy

For now, investigators are still counting other evidence at the location. The use of various foreign currencies is a strong sign that the perpetrators tried to avoid tracking by the national banking system, which is closely monitored by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK). This method is commonly used to hide digital audit trails.

The police have also summoned several witnesses from the cafe management to provide further information on who held the main access to the safe. So far, investigators have not detailed who the suspects are, but new suspects are expected soon. The investigation is expected to develop rapidly over the next 30 days, with the possibility of searches at other locations affiliated with the same network.

Kortastipidkor Polri’s involvement shows the police institution’s seriousness in fighting corruption more tactically. By directly seizing cash, police cut off the flow of the perpetrators’ capital before the assets change hands or are converted into immovable property. This case is a stark warning to business operators in South Jakarta that room for corruption networks is getting narrower. The operation is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in law enforcement against the *shadow economy* that often escapes oversight.

Now, the public awaits the next developments in the case. Is this Rp60 billion seizure the tip of the iceberg? Or is it just an entry point to a larger network behind the corruption scandal? The answer will certainly emerge at the case review at National Police Headquarters. What is certain is that the Rp60 billion figure is only a small part of the potential state losses now being examined by the special police investigative team.