Founder of 'Russian Village' Detained in Bali

Police said the founder of the PARQ Ubud complex, dubbed the "Russian village" by locals, converted agricultural land without permission to build villas, spas and tourist facilities.

Indonesian police have detained a German citizen named Andre Frey, the founder of the PARQ Ubud apartment complex in Ubud, Bali, the Detik portal reports. Locals have nicknamed the complex "Russian Village" due to its popularity among Russians.

According to law enforcement, Frey violated land use regulations. He "intentionally converted fertile agricultural land" to build villas and various tourist facilities for commercial purposes, said Bali Police Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya.

Ubud residents complained to police about Frey's actions in November last year. "The suspect <...> built villas, spas and livestock farms on rice fields and sustainable farmland <...> without obtaining permits," a department spokesman explained.

PARQ Ubud positioned itself as “Bali’s most famous multifunctional center,” with 65,000 square meters of space housing restaurants, dozens of shops, a luxury spa, a fitness center, and an 80-meterswimming pool . The project was developed by PARQ Development, of which Frey is the CEO. The complex was supposed to become a "magnet for celebrities, stars, entrepreneurs, families, influencers and investors from around the world."

According to ABC, locals had already expressed dissatisfaction with the development of PARQ Ubud during the COVID pandemic . In November 2024, police halted construction, and this week the site was closed.

In April 2023, immigration raids took place at the complex, butlaw enforcement officers did not find any visa violations. Contrary to popular belief about the "Russian village," police said that only half of the 90 residents and tourists checked were Russian citizens.

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