The police are looking into the alleged involvement of mid- to upper-level officials at the Communications and Digital Ministry in a conspiracy to abet illegal online gambling operations, after two dozen people, including an expert staffer to former minister Budi Arie Setiadi, were named suspects in the case.

In the past few months, the government has been ramping up efforts to curb what it says is an online gambling epidemic in the country, in which 8.8 million Indonesians have reportedly spent some Rp 900 trillion (US$56 billion) so far this year.

As part of the measures, the Jakarta Police arrested 24 people on Monday, including 10 employees of the Communications and Digital Ministry. They also put out arrest warrants for four others who remained at large.

Among the arrested ministry officials was Adhi Kismanto, who served as an expert staffer to former minister Budi Arie despite having previously failed the ministry’s selection test.

At a press briefing on Monday, Jakarta Police general crimes investigation director Sr. Comr. Wira Satya Triputra said ministry officials had received kickbacks from online gambling rings in exchange for allowing them to operate in the country. Prevailing regulations ban all forms of gambling in Indonesia.

“The largest amount [paid by a website] was Rp 24 million. But that’s just one website, when in fact [the suspects] protected thousands,” Wira said at the televised briefing.