40 people arrested on gambling charges

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police have arrested 40 people for allegedly being involved in an illegal Malaysian lottery, locally known as judi togel, in a raid in North Jakarta and Tangerang, police spokesman Comr. Anton Bahrul Alam said on Saturday.

"Police arrested the people on Thursday night following complaints from the public," Anton told reporters.

He said 18 of the arrestees, including two women, had been detained at the city police headquarters while the remaining 22 people were detained at the North Jakarta and Tangerang Police precincts.

He said police seized a total of seven facsimile machines, several lottery coupon booklets, three calculators and Rp 5.2 million (US$526) in cash from the people who were arrested in a building on Jl. Kramat Jaya in North Jakarta and at the Modern Land housing complex on Jl. Pulo Dewa in Tangerang.

Among the people arrested are Kim Guan and Teddy Gunawan, who are heads of the gambling operation, while the rest are employees and gamblers, Anton said.

The suspects would be charged with violating Article 303 of the Criminal Code on gambling which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail, he said.

Anton added that the communities in the two areas had been concerned over the gambling operation.

He said the employees of the gambling operation enticed people, especially youths, to place bets on numbers to win money.

"A person who bets Rp 1,000 on two numbers will get Rp 60,000 if both his numbers are picked in the draw. Similarly, if one bets Rp 1,000 on three numbers, one will stand a chance of winning Rp 400,000, and if a bet is placed on four numbers, one might win Rp 2.5 million." Anton added.

Judi togel , also known as judi buntut, has become more popular in the city since the downfall of president Soeharto in 1998. Many people have voiced their concerns on this form of gambling as it attracts youths and students. (jun)