Gambling-machine technician nabbed

Gambling-machine technician nabbed

JAKARTA (JP): A Malaysian man arrested by immigration officers
on Friday was still being detained at the West Jakarta
Immigration Office in Kalideres yesterday.

The head of the immigration office, M. Iman Santoso, said Soo
Tee Kiong, a Malaysian passport holder, was arrested at Omni
Batavia Hotel, on Jl. Kalibesar Barat, West Jakarta, for abusing
immigration permits.

"Soo entered the country with a visa-free facility for short
visits," Iman said.

Iman said the immigration office recorded the Malaysian man
entering Indonesia three times. The last time, on May 31, he
entered through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, he said.

He said the immigration office had yet to deport Soo and would
send the suspect to police for further investigation because
there were indications he was involved in a crime.

Meanwhile, immigration department spokesman Mursanudin A.
Ghani said Soo's arrest was made possible after West Jakarta
immigration officers received an anonymous tip from the public
last Wednesday about some gambling dens, which were allegedly
managed by Soo.

Ghani said the officers then drove to one of the gambling dens
in the Muara Baru area, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, and pretended
to be patrons of the gambling center.

A moment later, Soo and three local people arrived in an Isuzu
Panther van, Ghani said.

He said the three local people loaded some of the machines on
a pedicab and left, while Soo was repairing one of the machines.

Ghani said Soo and his friends were believed to have illegally
operated the gambling machines at four locations in Rawa Bebek
and at three other locations near the Pluit toll road.

After finishing repairs to the machine, Soo went back to his
hotel, he said.

Ghani said immigration officers booked a room on the same
floor as Soo on Thursday to facilitate the investigation.

He said on the next day the immigration officers followed Soo,
who repaired a gambling machine in the Gedung Panjang area, North
Jakarta.

There were about 200 gambling machines allegedly operated by
Soo at various places in crowded residential areas. Another 100
machines were not working, he said.

The machines were imported from Taiwan in April. Their
operation over two and a half months brought in earnings of at
least Rp 525 million (US$214,285) for the owners, Ghani said.
(jun)