No Christmas break in police crackdown
No Christmas break in police crackdown
JAKARTA (JP): There will be no rest for drug dealers, gamblers, hoodlums, prostitutes and other criminals during the coming Christmas and New Year's holidays.
City police yesterday said they are prepared to continue the current crackdown on criminals for as long as necessary, even going into the Idul Fitri Moslem holiday next March if necessary.
Yesterday's pledge by Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo came in the wake of a major drug bust: A few hours earlier, police seized 158 Ecstasy pills in a pre-dawn raid at the Hard Rock Cafe on Jl. M.H. Thamrin.
No arrests were made however because the owners had apparently strewn the pills on the floor and tables as soon as they learned that a police raid was underway.
The Hard Rock Cafe management could not be contacted for comment on the incident.
About 60 police and military officers took part in the raid.
They arrived at 1:30 a.m. and, with the permission of the management, turned on the lights and searched all guests, including two well-known local entertainers and a number of foreigners.
Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo said Operasi Kilat (Operation Lightning) will be incorporated into other police operations normally held around Christmas and Idul Fitri holidays.
Christmas and Idul Fitri operations traditionally focus on facilitating the flow of people planning to travel during the holidays and on ensuring peace and order around places of worship.
"We will not take a break in this operation. We mean to reduce the crime rate that has caused public concern," he told reporters after a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a three- story Pademangan police subprecinct office in North Jakarta.
"We are aiming to eliminate all kinds of crime," said the two- star general.
His promise for a long campaign appeared to be in reaction to criticisms that past operations had been ineffective because crime rates soared as soon as the operations ended.
Last year, thousands of street hoodlums and prostitutes were apprehended and a number of discotheques were closed down for extending their opening hours. A wide range of drugs, pornographic items and liquors at illegal street stalls were seized.
The victory was short-lived because crime rates soared again.
Police launched another major crackdown early this year when two middle rank officers were stabbed during a fight with hoodlums in the Blok M area in south Jakarta.
Dibyo said Operasi Kilat focuses mainly discotheques, cafes, bus terminals and shopping and entertainment centers, places believed to be the favorite hang outs of drug traffickers, prostitutes, hoodlums and other criminals.
Police and the military are deploying around 10,000 personnel for the current campaign which began two weeks ago.
So far, they have apprehended 5,000 people and seized thousands of weapons, large amounts of liquor, drugs and pornographic materials. Some of those arrested have since been released without being charged. (bsr/05)