Operation Cleansing will rate liquor factories<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ongoing military-sponsored Operation
\nCleansing anti-crime drive, which has been confiscating liquor
\nfrom dealers and retailers, will begin raiding liquor producers.<\/p>\n
Brig. Gen. Wiranto, chief of staff of the City Military
\nCommand, told the press on Saturday that his office had discussed
\nthe move with related agencies.<\/p>\n
The concerned institutions include the Ministry of Health, the
\nMinistry of Industry and the Ministry of Trade.<\/p>\n
\"We urged them to review regulations concerning the production
\nof liquor in a bid to eliminate the criminal problem to its
\ncore,\" Wiranto said.<\/p>\n
Operation Cleansing started on April 11 under the sponsorship
\nof the Jakarta Bakorstanasda (the city chapter of the Agency for
\nthe Coordination of Support for the Development of National
\nStability).<\/p>\n
The Jakarta military command is an ex-officio leading agency
\nof the Bakorstanasda.<\/p>\n
The operation personnel are recruited from the Army, Navy, Air
\nForce and Police Force, as well as the Jakarta, Bekasi and
\nTangerang administration officials.<\/p>\n
Based on the belief that liquor contributes towards crime, the
\noperation is trying to decrease the inclination towards alcohol
\namong the public, by confiscating the drinks from shops which do
\nnot have the proper licenses.<\/p>\n
The team has captured drunkards and reprimanded them while in
\ncustody.<\/p>\n
Wiranto speculated that some liquor factories are breaking the
\nprovisions in their licenses.<\/p>\n
\"Probably, a number of factories have produced kinds of drinks
\nnot allowed under their licenses,\" Wiranto said.<\/p>\n
He stated the targeted factories include those known to be
\noverproducing, those producing banned liquor and illegal home-
\nindustry factories.<\/p>\n
The decision to extend the operation's target to liquor
\nproducers was apparently made in response to comments by analysts
\nthat the seizure of spirits from traders and distributors by the
\noperation squads will not be effective as long as production goes
\nuncontrolled.<\/p>\n
So far, around half a million bottles of liquor have been
\nseized.<\/p>\n
Local liquor producers have already felt the impact of the
\nraids on their customers.<\/p>\n
The factories, including PT Suba Indah in Cimanggis, Bogor,
\nand PT Perindustrian Bapak Jenggot in Tangerang, said the
\noperation might lead to the layoff of hundreds of workers.<\/p>\n
In response to criticism of the drive, Wiranto also denied
\nallegations that the ongoing operation is only temporary in
\nnature and mainly launched to anticipate the coming Asia Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) summit slated for November in Bogor.<\/p>\n
\"No, it's not because of APEC. This operation is our reaction
\nto something which we think already distresses society,\" Wiranto
\nsaid, adding the operation would go on after the APEC summit.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono
\nsaid that in anticipation of the coming APEC meeting he had
\nenlarged the operation's strength from the initial number of
\n16,700 to around 48,000 personnel.<\/p>\n
Although the APEC summit is scheduled to be held in Bogor,
\nheads of government from APEC members will stay in hotels in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Wiranto said Jakarta's Bakorstanasda and the West Java branch
\nhad discussed an integrated security system along the roads
\nlinking Jakarta and Bogor, along which the APEC Summit
\nparticipants will pass. (11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/operation-cleansing-will-rate-liquor-factories-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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