Police face hurdles in anti-gambling drive<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City Police have admitted that they face serious
\ndifficulties in their efforts to stop gambling.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly, we have known the precise locations of many large-
\nscale gambling dens in this city for a long time ago, but there
\nis more to a police raid than storming the arena and arresting
\nthe suspects,\" City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
Police have to collect strong evidence in order to make a
\nsuccessful prosecution case, the police officer said.<\/p>\n
Bambang, a former city police detective, said that in his
\nexperience many of the gambling dens, mostly located in North and
\nWest Jakarta, were equipped with sophisticated modern protection
\nequipment, were accessible only via complicated entry routes and
\nwere guarded by professional bodyguards.<\/p>\n
In some cases the den operator only allowed listed members to
\nenter the area under special sign codes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Walls or gates heading to the gambling dens are operated, for
\ninstance, by remote control systems, which prevent police
\nofficers from getting into the arena easily,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
At some dens, players have to park their car quite a distance
\naway before taking a complicated trip to the camouflaged
\nlocation, he said.<\/p>\n
One of the various factors that frustrate the city police is
\nthe failure of the courts to pass harsh sentences on those
\nconvicted of gambling offenses.<\/p>\n
The recent decision of the West Jakarta district court to
\nclear seven people, including a noted figure of a powerful
\norganization, of gambling charges, has caused deep
\ndissatisfaction among police.<\/p>\n
\"We're not assuming anything,\" said Bambang at that time. \"But
\nthe question is: how can he be acquitted of the charges?\"<\/p>\n
After a long trial for gambling, Yorrys Raweyai, an executive
\nof the powerful Pemuda Pancasila youth organization, and his six
\naccomplices were acquitted on all charges on Monday.<\/p>\n
The controversial judgment was read by presiding Justice
\nIsmail Sebayang.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that bribery was another important factor making
\npolice raids on gambling rings difficult.<\/p>\n
Although local authorities had once again taken up the fight
\nagainst gambling, illegal gambling businesses were flourishing in
\nJakarta, he said. (bsr)<\/p>",
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