50 courting couples nabbed

50 courting couples nabbed

Police have nabbed 50 courting couples from several hotels in
Bogor, 70 kilometers southeast of here, during a special
operation involving dozens of policemen and officials from the
town's tourism board.

The operation is part of Bogor's preparation in hosting the
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference scheduled for
November.

"We are striving 'clean up' and secure the city before the
international conference," Bogor Police Chief Lt. Col. Nono
Supriono said to Pos Kota.

He said the operation, code-named Operasi APEC 94, was part of
the city's campaign to promote a better image of Bogor to
foreigners, especially the conference's participants. American
President Bill Clinton will be among the delegates attending the
conference.

Nono said the couples were not detained but were given stern
warning not to do it again in the future.

He said the operators of the hotels were also strongly
reprimanded.

"I believe some of the hotels provide prostitutes for their
guests," Nono said, adding that if the operators continued doing
such business he would not hesitate to close down their hotels.

Nono said all brothels in Bogor might be closed down and the
prostitutes and their pimps could be detained.

He said the operation will continue even after the APEC
meeting is over.(bas)