The U.S. Embassy’s Overseas Criminal Investigations Unit (OCIU) recently visited Medan from July 28 to 31 to reinforce security cooperation between the United States and Indonesia. The visit included meetings with the Kuala Namu Airport Authority and North Sumatra Police, aiming to strengthen joint efforts on border security and law enforcement.
Special Agent Shane Lloyd of the OCIU met with Ma’mun, Acting Director General of the North Sumatra Regional Immigration Office. Lloyd highlighted ongoing collaboration between both countries on issues such as illegal immigration and document fraud.
“One very important goal of the U.S. government is to combat illegal immigration and fraudulent documents. The Indonesian Immigration Office has been one of our most crucial partners in achieving this,” said SA Lloyd. “We believe that by working together, we can make both the United States and Indonesia safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
During discussions, plans were outlined for future training sessions for Indonesian immigration officers to improve their ability to detect fraudulent documents and respond to human trafficking cases. These joint trainings will take place across several cities in Indonesia, including Batam, Bali, and Balikpapan.
As part of the partnership, OCIU inspected a new machine at Kuala Namu International Airport designed to identify fake travel and identification documents. This equipment was supplied through a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, supporting officers in multiple cities such as Medan, Jakarta, Denpasar, Batam, and Bandung.
Bernard Uadan, U.S. Consul for Sumatra, also attended a meeting with Deputy Head of North Sumatra Police Brigadier General Rony Samtana. He expressed appreciation for local authorities’ support in securing U.S. Consulate facilities in Medan and their quick response during incidents involving American citizens.
The visit underlines ongoing efforts by both nations to advance regional security initiatives and address transnational crime through closer cooperation.