35 military officers arrested in raids

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty-five military personnel were arrested Thursday night by soldiers of the city garrison during several raids on 11 entertainment establishments in West and North Jakarta.

Operations assistant of Garrison I, Col. Bahar Alamsyah, said the raids were part of routine operations by the garrison.

"The operation was in line with the garrison's duty in maintaining discipline of military personnel from the four branches of the Armed Forces," Bahar said.

The 35 military personnel were arrested because they visited entertainment establishments without official permission.

None of the 35 officers were able to show their letters of assignment. Armed Forces personnel are only allowed to be at nightspots if they were officially assigned there by their respective forces.

Fourteen civilians were also arrested during raids on the 11 discotheques and massage parlors, from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.

They were arrested for illegally possessing Ecstasy pills and marijuana cigarettes.

The raided nightspots in North Jakarta included Embar, President, SS, Metropolitan and John Priok on Jl. Enggano.

The other six places, Super, 99, Aku dan Kamu, Antik, Hidup Sehat and Kasturi, were in West Jakarta. (cst)