Fake phone cards producer nabbed

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta police have arrested a 23-year- old man believed to have produced and distributed thousands of fake phone cards.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said yesterday that Herdi, alias Jos, unemployed, was arrested at his house, where he had allegedly produced the counterfeit cards, in Teluk Gong on Saturday.

The officers also seized Rp 5 million in cash, 250 fake cards -- all of which contained 650 pulses, 171 pieces of used phone cards, a telephone box and several tools, Iman said.

According to Iman, Herdi produced the falsified cards containing 650 pulses from used phone cards using a number of tools, including a telephone box, cellophane tape and a perforator.

"Every week he could produce and sell at least 400 fake cards at Rp 12,500 (US$5.32) each which was quite an attractive price," Iman said.

In Jakarta, the official price of 100-pulse card is Rp 13,500 each, while the falsified 650-pulse cards cost only Rp 30,000.

The Police investigation found that Herdi had started his business some three months ago.

Basically, the falsification process is covering the holes of used cards with black cellophane tape.

"But I do believe that nobody could produce the cards without certain help from the telecommunication employees," a regular customer of falsified cards told The Jakarta Post yesterday. (bsr)