Police Action to Stop Car on West Jakarta Road: Was It in Line with Regulations?

Under the Pesing flyover on Daan Mogot Road in West Jakarta, a tense moment unfolded with little room for pause. A car heading home was suddenly intercepted. A man entered the vehicle without much explanation. The incident later went viral on social media, prompting public questions about whether the officers’ actions were lawful or overstepped boundaries. It was later revealed that the six men in civilian clothes who stopped the car were police officers from Grogol Petamburan Police Station. Grogol Petamburan Police Chief AKP Reza Aditya confirmed this. He explained that the car had been on their surveillance radar since entering the Cengkareng area. Officers followed it and eventually carried out the interception in the Pesing area. “Indeed, it was our personnel, receiving a report from the public suspecting a drug transaction,” Reza said when contacted by Kompas.com on Monday (20/4/2026). However, the situation on the ground did not proceed smoothly. The driver refused to be inspected. Tensions escalated, especially since there was a minor inside the vehicle. Amid the situation, the officers eventually chose to withdraw and cancel the search. In the circulating recording, the officers’ actions drew scrutiny. The high-pitched tone, aggressive gestures, and attempt to force entry into the car were deemed excessive by netizens.