Failure to produce passports leads to arrest

JAKARTA: Sixteen foreigners, all from African countries, were arrested for failing to show their passports to Central Jakarta Police officers in a raid late on Wednesday.

"We sent them to the immigration office for further legal processing today. The office will decide whether to deport the foreigners or hold them in quarantine," Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Sukrawardi Dahlan said on Thursday.

The raid was held on Jl. Jaksa, Central Jakarta. The police initially detained 18 foreigners, but two were later released.

One of the released foreigners, Cameroonian Kalemen TC Haptchet, is a soccer player with the Pekan Baru soccer team (PSPB) who was released after being guaranteed by the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI).

Immigration violators can face a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment or a maximum fine of Rp 25 million (US$2,941), and deportation based on Law No. 9/1992 on immigration. -- JP