Authorities act against scalpers

JAKARTA (JP): City security authorities have netted 29 men who later admitted to having queued at ticket booths in Gambir Railway Station in Central Jakarta at the behest of a ticket scalper.

However, the 29 men, who were later released after they promised not to repeat the offense, failed to identify the scalper.

Station officials reportedly apprehended the men based on a tip-off from someone in the queue who reported that the 29 men had been queuing with intending passengers over the last couple of days.

Meanwhile, a scalper was caught red-handed by Gambir officials while selling a ticket to a man planning to travel to Surabaya.

The result of the probe on this man remains unknown. Existing laws in Indonesia do not outlaw ticket scalping.

Thousands of Jakartans are expected to use trains to travel back to their hometowns for the upcoming Christmas, Idul Fitri and New Year holidays. Some of them have to camp out overnight in the train stations in order to get tickets.

According to the Gambir station information center, about 12,000 people were scheduled to leave the capital from the railway station at least 10 days before Idul Fitri, while the number would reach some 24,000 passengers this weekend. (04)