91 arrested for gambling

JAKARTA (JP): Police will process 91 people, including 20 women, arrested during a raid on an illicit gambling den in Duta Merlin shopping center in Central Jakarta, Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna says.

Iman said yesterday that they are still being interrogated. "Those who are found guilty will be sent to court. We cannot condone such a crime," he said. Any kind of gambling is illegal in Indonesia.

He said 47 of the netted people are employees of the gambling den and the rest, including the 20 women, are gamblers.

He added that police also seized Rp 56.64 million (US$24,105) in cash and cheques worth Rp 12.3 million from the gamblers.

"According to information received by the police, the illicit gambling house located in the fourth floor of the shopping center has been run for three weeks," Iman said.

He added that the gambling paraphernalia allegedly used by the suspects were two "mickey mouse" machines, three "bingo" machines, and one "roulet" machine.

The gambling den is now sealed off by the police, he said.

Iman reiterated that the City Police will continue to conduct crackdown over gambling activities in the city.

He said the police have completed a dossier of 45 gamblers who were netted in a crackdown earlier this month.

Some 80 gamblers were caught in two separate crackdowns in April, Iman said.

In May the police arrested 44 gamblers, he added.

Most of the crackdowns were conducted in West Jakarta where many amusement centers are located. (jun)