Illegal Levies in Kapuk Kamal, North Jakarta, Persist Unabated: From Small Lorry Drivers to Trucks Remain Victims

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The practice of illegal levies (pungli) in the Kapuk Kamal area, North Jakarta, is said to target not only container trucks but also out-of-town vehicles and small cars passing through the route.

One truck driver, Ardi (45), stated that vehicles from outside the region are often the primary targets in this pungli practice.

“Especially those from Sumatra-crossing vehicles. They like them the most. They particularly enjoy it when out-of-town vehicles come,” he told Kompas.com near the location on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

“Yeah, diesel lorries – diesel lorries also get hit. But for them, it’s just a thousand or two thousand,” he said.

According to Ardi, the pungli practice occurs at many points along Kapuk Kamal, especially at road intersections.

This situation makes him pessimistic that the practice can be completely eradicated.

In agreement, Fatih (not his real name), another driver, also said that pungli does not only target large vehicles.

“It’s not just container trucks; small cars and box trucks are also asked for money,” he revealed when met by Kompas.com on Tuesday.

According to him, the practice has been going on for a long time and keeps recurring.

He hopes that the pungli practice in the Kapuk Kamal area can be comprehensively addressed so it does not continue.

“Oh, if they want, just eradicate it all. So it’s pointless, right? Just passing through and being asked for a lot. It’s tiring,” he added.

Based on Kompas.com’s observations at the location on Tuesday (5/5/2026) starting from 09.45 WIB, the pungli practice was visible at several points while traversing the area from Cengkareng towards Dadap.