Operation Cleansing nets 500 people
JAKARTA (JP): The city authorities have captured almost 500 people and seized five firearms, more than one hundred sharp weapons and 40,000 bottles of alcohol in the first ten days of the ongoing Operation Cleansing crime crackdown.
"I am grateful to all residents of Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi for their assistance in accomplishing this great feat," Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendroprijono (Hendro) told reporters yesterday.
Hendro said 478 people had been captured across the greater Jakarta area for various charges, including illegally carrying firearms, sharp weapons, loitering in public places, being drunk until midnight and selling dangerous drugs.
In addition the police hauled in 3,216 dangerous drugs of various kinds and 16 envelopes of cannabis.
"All this was possible because the public gave us tip-offs," said Hendro merrily.
Operation Cleansing which involves 16,700 personnel from the army, navy, air force and police force, was launched this month in the wake of a series of murders in the city, including the latest one which involved Brig. Gen. TMF Tampubolon.
Col. E. Sutarto, Operational Assistant to the Jakarta Military Commander who heads the operation, said some of those captured had been either returned home after being given advice or transferred to the police for further examination.
"Those who had been returned home were mainly youngsters who were captured drunk late in the evening but we thought they were actually not habitual drunkards," said Sutarto.
Sutarto said the operation had deterred many criminals, but some had moved to operate on the outskirts or in the public buses.
"But, we shall soon stage a special operation to secure the public bus passengers, " said Sutarto, declining to reveal the tactic to be employed by the operation's squad.
Hired killers
The squad also displayed the result of the operation at the East Jakarta military headquarters.
Of the 478 captured people, one was reportedly a paid murderer named Prite JP Dedi Roreng, 25.
Dedi told the Jakarta Post he was captured one evening at the Pujasera food center in Lokasari district, West Jakarta, carrying three sharp weapons--a sickle and two knives.
By his admission, Dedi was paid by an ethnic Chinese man named A Hok to kill another Chinese Indonesian called Andri, to whom A Hok owed Rp 6.5 million (US$3,050).
Dedi was given Rp 200,000 ($93.8) in advance of a promised Rp 500,000 ($234.6).
"I only know that the man I should kill was a short and thick- bespectacled man and would visit the food center that evening," said Dedi.
Dedi admitted to have been imprisoned five times but he swore he has never killed.
"I accepted A Hok's offer because I desperately needed money to cover my wife's medical bills," said Dedi.
Another one captured was Galgi, 40, a resident of Bekasi, who by his own admission had been imprisoned at the hardcore- criminals Nusakambangan prison for a morphine-related crime.
Galgi was picked up from his house one evening on charges of trafficking in illegal drugs.
"I had actually decided to forsake illegal activity two days before," said Galgi.
Hendrikus T. Pahpahan was also picked up for owning revolvers without a license.
According to Hendro, Pahpahan was captured one evening when he intended to take revenge against an enemy. (jsk)