Operation Cleansing nets 500 people<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city authorities have captured almost 500
\npeople and seized five firearms, more than one hundred sharp
\nweapons and 40,000 bottles of alcohol in the first ten days of
\nthe ongoing Operation Cleansing crime crackdown.<\/p>\n
\"I am grateful to all residents of Jakarta, Tangerang and
\nBekasi for their assistance in accomplishing this great feat,\"
\nJakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendroprijono (Hendro) told
\nreporters yesterday.<\/p>\n
Hendro said 478 people had been captured across the greater
\nJakarta area for various charges, including illegally carrying
\nfirearms, sharp weapons, loitering in public places, being drunk
\nuntil midnight and selling dangerous drugs.<\/p>\n
In addition the police hauled in 3,216 dangerous drugs of
\nvarious kinds and 16 envelopes of cannabis.<\/p>\n
\"All this was possible because the public gave us tip-offs,\"
\nsaid Hendro merrily.<\/p>\n
Operation Cleansing which involves 16,700 personnel from the
\narmy, navy, air force and police force, was launched this month
\nin the wake of a series of murders in the city, including the
\nlatest one which involved Brig. Gen. TMF Tampubolon.<\/p>\n
Col. E. Sutarto, Operational Assistant to the Jakarta Military
\nCommander who heads the operation, said some of those captured
\nhad been either returned home after being given advice or
\ntransferred to the police for further examination.<\/p>\n
\"Those who had been returned home were mainly youngsters who
\nwere captured drunk late in the evening but we thought they were
\nactually not habitual drunkards,\" said Sutarto.<\/p>\n
Sutarto said the operation had deterred many criminals, but
\nsome had moved to operate on the outskirts or in the public
\nbuses.<\/p>\n
\"But, we shall soon stage a special operation to secure the
\npublic bus passengers, \" said Sutarto, declining to reveal the
\ntactic to be employed by the operation's squad.<\/p>\n
Hired killers<\/p>\n
The squad also displayed the result of the operation at the
\nEast Jakarta military headquarters.<\/p>\n
Of the 478 captured people, one was reportedly a paid murderer
\nnamed Prite JP Dedi Roreng, 25.<\/p>\n
Dedi told the Jakarta Post he was captured one evening at the
\nPujasera food center in Lokasari district, West Jakarta, carrying
\nthree sharp weapons--a sickle and two knives.<\/p>\n
By his admission, Dedi was paid by an ethnic Chinese man named
\nA Hok to kill another Chinese Indonesian called Andri, to whom A
\nHok owed Rp 6.5 million (US$3,050).<\/p>\n
Dedi was given Rp 200,000 ($93.8) in advance of a promised Rp
\n500,000 ($234.6).<\/p>\n
\"I only know that the man I should kill was a short and thick-
\nbespectacled man and would visit the food center that evening,\"
\nsaid Dedi.<\/p>\n
Dedi admitted to have been imprisoned five times but he swore
\nhe has never killed.<\/p>\n
\"I accepted A Hok's offer because I desperately needed money
\nto cover my wife's medical bills,\" said Dedi.<\/p>\n
Another one captured was Galgi, 40, a resident of Bekasi, who
\nby his own admission had been imprisoned at the hardcore-
\ncriminals Nusakambangan prison for a morphine-related crime.<\/p>\n
Galgi was picked up from his house one evening on charges of
\ntrafficking in illegal drugs.<\/p>\n
\"I had actually decided to forsake illegal activity two days
\nbefore,\" said Galgi.<\/p>\n
Hendrikus T. Pahpahan was also picked up for owning revolvers
\nwithout a license.<\/p>\n
According to Hendro, Pahpahan was captured one evening when he
\nintended to take revenge against an enemy. (jsk)<\/p>",
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