28 caught without ID cards

28 caught without ID cards

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police have rounded up 28 people
who were caught without their identification cards (KTP) during
an operation at Senen market, an officer said yesterday.

Second Lt. Suharjono, chief detective of the Central Jakarta
Police subprecinct, said that seven of the 28 offenders were
identified as former prisoners.

The crackdown, Operasi Kilat Jaya, conducted Monday between
10 p.m. and 2 a.m., followed a clash at the market between local
sidewalk vendors and public order officers on Monday morning.

"The operation was aimed at cracking down on hoodlums and
confiscating sharp weapons, drugs and pornographic books,"
Suharjono said.

The seven former inmates were detained at the Senen Police
subprecinct for questioning, while the remaining 21 were sent to
a social rehabilitation center in Kedoya, West Jakarta, he said.
Failing to carry an official ID card is an offense here.

"Some of them were rounded up on the first floor of the market
building and the others were in the parking lot of the market's
Blok VI."

Suharjono said that the operation was held at Senen market
because the area was increasingly becoming a new hangout for
hoodlums and prostitutes.

The police, however, declined to say whether the operation was
aimed at searching for the alleged hoodlums who may have provoked
Monday's clash.

"The operation was just aimed at hoodlums who are believed to
be disturbing business activities. Some vendors have complained
about the (hoodlums') presence," Suharjono said.

He admitted that police would safeguard the area for at least
a week following the clean-up operation, which was launched by
Central Jakarta municipality on Saturday.

During Saturday's operation -- a joint effort with public
order officers and members of the Central Jakarta military
district and Central Jakarta Police precinct -- 42 sidewalk
vendors were notified that they would be relocated to the fourth
floor of the market.

But vendors refused to budge when officers came Monday to
enforce the order, saying that no buyers would go to the market's
fourth floor.

Fifty police officers were keeping an eye on the market
yesterday, in particular the parking lot and fourth floor. (04)