40 prostitutes detained

40 prostitutes detained

JAKARTA (JP): City police detained over 40 suspected
prostitutes on Monday, following the arrest of seven alleged drug
dealers at a boardinghouse at Jl. Mangga Besar No. 13 in West
Jakarta on Monday afternoon.

The suspected prostitutes were sharing the boardinghouse
occupied by the suspected drug dealers, city police chief of
detectives Sr. Comr. Adang Rochana said.

"Police received information from the public that drug
transactions and drug parties were often held at the house,"
Adang said on Monday.

Adang said his officers raided the building and arrested at
least seven suspected drug dealers, both male and female, aged
between 20 and 45.

Police seized hundreds of ecstasy pills, at least 100 grams of
shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) and over 100 Viagra pills
as evidence from the boardinghouse.

"We also found over 40 girls, whom we have seen soliciting
customers outside the Stadium discotheque, staying at the
boardinghouse. We have detained them for further questioning."

Adang said the women's pimps managed to escape the arrest.

A police officer who requested anonymity said on Monday that
detectives usually worked out a deal with the pimps, better known
as "madams".

"They allow the madams to walk away after they pay good money
but the girls normally can't afford to because the madams take
all their earnings and give them only a small commission for
their work," the officer said.

When asked how much a prostitute charged, the officer said one
girl, who was beautiful and in her twenties, answered: "Only Rp
100,000 (US$8.80) per hour, and that's cheap." (ylt)