Monas racers apprehended

Monas racers apprehended

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta police ticketed four motorists and one motorcyclist for allegedly speeding near Monas (the National Monument) Square on Saturday night.

According to Central Jakarta police chief, Lt. Col. Murawi Effendi, four of the people involved were driving sedans and pick-ups while a fifth was riding a motorcycle.

The streets around Monas square have frequently been used by young "racers" as a racing circuit.

These "racers" bet money, sometimes even their vehicles, in illegal competitions during the wee hours.

Also in the early hours of Sunday morning, Central Jakarta police arrested 115 suspected hoodlums, mostly in nightclubs, discotheques and red-light establishments in the Monas area.

"Of that number (115), only three people were charged, while the rest were sent home after the identification and counseling process," said Murawi.

The officer vowed that the police operation against any type of crime in Central Jakarta, the country's most important area, would continue. (bsr)