20 soldiers arrested in military raids
JAKARTA (JP): At least twenty soldiers were arrested during military raids on red-light districts over the weekend.
Jakarta Military Garrison Commander Brig. Gen. Yudomo SHD said Saturday that two hand guns were seized from two soldiers because they could not show a letter of permission to take the weapons to the night spots.
"Military personnel are allowed to visit night spots only on undercover assignments. And even if they are on duty, they must have official letters for the guns they take with them," Yudomo said.
The soldiers were nailed Friday night during simultaneous raids on prostitution complexes in Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta; Bongkaran in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, and Boker, East Jakarta.
Yudomo said that the arrests of the soldiers in such places was aimed at upholding law and order within the military and improving the military's public image.
Greater Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso said earlier that stern action would be taken against unscrupulous soldiers who backed up illegal activities at entertainment establishments.
Sutiyoso said that a soldier was always representing his corps. "If soldiers violate the rule, I'll punish them because they could give a bad name to other soldiers."
Yudomo said the arrested soldiers would be handed over to their superiors to be questioned further and punished.
On separate raids over the weekend, city police detectives arrested nearly 200 alleged gamblers and four women with more than twenty Ecstasy pills in gambling dens and discotheques in West Jakarta.
The alleged gamblers were nailed Friday night at sites on Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Labu, and Jl. Mangga Besar Raya.
The four women were arrested Saturday and were held responsible for the Ecstasy pills seized at the Sydney 2000 entertainment center in Glodok, also in West Jakarta.
Detectives also raided the Lido Oriental Executive discotheque in Grogol and the Atlanta discotheque also in West Jakarta, but no one was arrested at either place.
The alleged gamblers and four women were sent to the City Police Headquarters for further investigation. (cst)