Guineans nabbed for cheating

JAKARTA: City police arrested on Tuesday two Guinea citizens for allegedly tricking businessman Heru Purnama of US$114,000 into believing that he could multiply his dollars using their equipment.

Ali Lazarus, 34, and Mozes Lazarus, 25, were nabbed at Park Lane Hotel in South Jakarta after Heru reported them to the city police headquarters.

City police special crime unit deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Wahono said Ali and Moses had offered Heru to double his dollars.

"Ali and Moses dipped a piece of black paper into water containing a chemical substance, and when they took it out it became a dollar bill. They asked Heru for US$60,000 to buy a chemical substance in Tanjung Priok. Heru gave them that amount," said Anton at city headquarters.

The suspects said that it was not enough so they asked Heru for more money, which he gave them.

After waiting for days, the two foreigners failed to show up, prompting Heru, who gave a total of $114,000, to report them to the police, who managed to recover only several thousands of dollars from the two. -- JP