Police raid gambling dens, arrest 565 people<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Police have launched a concerted raid against several gambling
\ndens in the capital and arrested 565 people as suspects in a
\nmonth-long raid.<\/p>\n
The city police chief detective of the vice and street
\nhoodlums section, Adj. Sr. Comr. Idham Azis, said on Thursday
\nthat raids were made after a tip from another citizen.<\/p>\n
"It's part of the police effort to get rid of unauthorized
\ngambling in the city," he said.<\/p>\n
In the latest crackdown on Wednesday evening, the police
\nraided four covert casinos: one in Mega Mall Pluit, North
\nJakarta; another at Gading 89 in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta;
\none in ITC Roxy Mas and the Malioboro building on Jl. Gajah Mada,
\nboth in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police arrested 119 suspects on Wednesday and seized Rp 37.4
\nmillion (US$4,560) in cash and 18 processing devices, which is a
\nsoftware system to run the gambling machines.<\/p>\n
"We have detained 26 of those arrested. We won't release from
\nthem from detention," Idham said, adding that the remaining 93
\nwere required to report to the police once a week.<\/p>\n
All 565 of the suspects will reportedly be put on trial.<\/p>\n
According to prevailing law and regulations, including
\ngovernment regulation No. 9\/1981, all forms of gambling are a
\ncrime. Those who break the law may be sentenced to a maximum 10
\nyears in jail or fined up to Rp 10 million.<\/p>\n
Despite the arrests, Idham admitted that no known gambling
\nbosses were arrested.<\/p>\n
"Most of them are only managers of the sites," he said.<\/p>\n
The police have claimed publicly that they are trying to fight
\ngambling in the city, but amazingly enough gambling dens seem to
\nbe on the increase. It is essentially public knowledge that the
\npolice themselves often "protect" the illegal businesses and use
\nthem as cash cows.<\/p>\n
Back in the 1970s, then governor Ali Sadikin legalized
\ngambling by providing limited locations for gambling. The places
\nwere still "protected" by unscrupulous officials who also may
\nhave benefited financially.<\/p>\n
City revenue from gambling taxes was used to finance
\ndevelopment projects in the city.<\/p>\n
After criticism from ulemas and other religious leaders,
\ngambling was later banned.<\/p>\n
Incumbent Governor Sutiyoso said in April last year that his
\nadministration planned to build infrastructure for casinos in the
\nThousand Islands, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, his administration failed to implement the plan due
\nto strong opposition from some public figures.<\/p>",
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