Police arrest suspected gang members

Police arrest suspected gang members

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Deli Serdang Police said on
Wednesday they had arrested six men suspected of being members of
two armed robbery gangs operating on Sumatra island.

The suspects had long been wanted by police in Sumatra. They
were identified as Hermansyah, 29, Sutarmin, 28, Basuki, alias
Marno, 34, Ramli, 32, M. Nazar and Iskandar, 38, who is believed
to be the mastermind.

Deli Serdang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Mahfud Arifin said
his officers were looking for two other suspects, identified as
Sam and Sofyan.

"We know that the groups operate in different places and would
not hesitate to harm their victims if they resisted," Mahfud told
The Jakarta Post.

Ramli, one of the suspects, said his gang had been operating
for a year now and has stolen between Rp 500 million (US$60,000)
and Rp 700 million.

"We usually rob trucks carrying cigarettes and drinks. We
usually threaten the drivers with a pistol and then break off the
padlocks with a crowbar," he said. --JP