Five wanted in factory fire

Five wanted in factory fire

CIREBON, West Java: Police in Cirebon are still hunting five
people suspected of inciting locals to torch the biggest fish-
canning factory in Babakan, Cirebon, PT Kelola Mina Laut, on
Monday.

Insp. Indra Darmawan, chief of the detective unit of the
Cirebon Police Precinct, said the police would certainly arrest
the suspects who were believed to be hiding somewhere in the
regency.

"The fire caused billions of rupiah in material losses and the
factory employed thousands of fishermen and other employees, as
well as having contributed to the local administration's annual
revenue," he said.

He declined to name the suspects. The police have questioned
some 30 eyewitnesses.

The arson was believed to have been triggered by the falling
price of fish supplied by a cooperative to the factory. The
factory had recently stopped exporting fish to Japan, causing a
drop in the price of fish. Fish is usually purchased from
fishermen by the cooperative at Rp 8,000 per kilogram. --JP