11 Taiwanese karaoke guides arrested<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Eleven Taiwanese women have been arrested for
\nallegedly violating immigration regulations by working as karaoke
\nguides without permits at an entertainment center in West
\nJakarta, police said.<\/p>\n
The women, who worked as karaoke guides at the Raja Mas
\nentertainment center, were arrested at different places in West
\nJakarta Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
A police source said the women entered the country via
\nSingapore either with tourist visas or visa-free facilities.<\/p>\n
The City Police Foreigner Supervision unit has also arrested
\ntwo Indonesian men for allegedly taking care of the women's
\naccommodation and transportation during their stay in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The source requesting anonymity said the two men were arrested
\nlast year for involvement in a similar case.<\/p>\n
\"Police are still trying to nail another local man who played
\nthe biggest role in the case, who provided jobs for these women
\nat the Raja Mas entertainment center,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another man, a foreigner identified as Mr. T, who allegedly
\nhandled the women's traveling arrangements from Singapore, was
\nstill at large, he said. Police contacted Interpol in Singapore
\nto locate the suspect, he added.<\/p>\n
He said people entering the country without work visas are
\nprohibited from working and earning money.<\/p>\n
One of the 11 women, Cia Hui, 26, was arrested at the Dusit
\nHotel on Jl. Mangga Dua Raya, and another four -- Fang Fang, 25,
\nSiauw Hui, 21, Xu Li, 27, and Helen, 24 -- were arrested at the
\nMercury Hotel on Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta.<\/p>\n
The remaining six women -- Ya Wen, 27, Wendy, 27, Liu Ling,
\n27, Qing Qing, 22, and Yue Erl, 25 -- were arrested at a special
\ndormitory at Jl. Pangeran Jayakarta Raya Block 46\/5B.<\/p>\n
Police said that one of the two arrested men, Asanuddin
\nArtono, 30, was the owner of the dormitory which was set up as a
\nplace to stay for the foreign women who worked at the
\nentertainment center.<\/p>\n
The other man was Karim Sutanto, 41, who helped Asanuddin look
\nfor prospective customers who wanted to book the women, as well
\nas take care of the women's transportation and security needs,
\npolice said.<\/p>\n
Police said Asanuddin confessed he cooperated with a man named
\nRudi, the owner of Raja Mas, in organizing jobs for the women.<\/p>\n
\"I took a part of the booking fees paid by customers,\" police
\nquoted Asanuddin as saying.<\/p>\n
\"The women worked as karaoke guides and could be booked for at
\nleast five hours at Rp 35,000 (US$14) an hour,\" police quoted
\nAsanuddin as saying.<\/p>\n
Asanuddin said the women were paid Rp 2.5 million a month as
\nkaraoke guides at Raja Mas and stayed here between two and six
\nmonths.<\/p>\n
Police said Asanuddin denied allegations that the women were
\nprostitutes. \"Even if they were, that's none of my business,\"
\nAsanuddin said.<\/p>\n
Police said there were indications that the activities were
\nwell organized.<\/p>\n
There were different parties who arranged different aspects of
\nthe illegal business, including finances, travel, security,
\naccommodations, jobs, and booking orders, police said.<\/p>\n
Police said all arrested people violated Article 50 of 1992
\nImmigration Law No. 9 on immigration and work permits. If found
\nguilty they could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison
\nor a Rp 25 million fine. (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/11-taiwanese-karaoke-guides-arrested-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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