15,000 VCDs seized from Glodok

15,000 VCDs seized from Glodok

JAKARTA (JP): Police continued their combat against
pornography on Wednesday by seizing at least 15,000 video compact
discs (VCDs) and arresting 35 street vendors in the capital's
busy Glodok area in West Jakarta.

West Jakarta Police deputy chief Maj. Henky Kaluara said the
street vendors were apprehended because they were guilty of
distributing pornographic films.

"It's a routine operation and if we can only catch 35 traders,
it's because they run off in various directions when they see
officers approaching," he said when asked why the police took
their time in arresting traders when it was common knowledge that
pornographic films were readily available in the area.

Street vendors can be seen daily offering such merchandise to
passersby in the Glodok area.

Police will process the arrested traders and build cases
against them in a bid to get the distributors or suppliers of the
mostly Western and Mandarin pornographic films, Henky said.

The traders were taken to police headquarters for questioning
and will be kept in custody there.

The traders will be charged under the Criminal Code's Article
282 on indecency which carries a maximum penalty of 18 months
imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp 3,000 (less than 40
U.S.cents).

"Each disc sells for Rp 7,500 and we only earn a Rp 2,500
profit on each," Martin, one of the traders, said.

Martin and several other traders declined to name who was
behind the distribution.

He said someone supplied the discs and in two or three days a
different person would pick up the money.

When asked whether he had watched any of the films, Martin
said he had but had became dizzy afterward. (emf)