Police bag 95 couples in Tanah Aabng hotel raid

JAKARTA (JP): Police netted some 95 couples yesterday during a crackdown on six hotels and a massage parlor located on Jl. Jati Baru in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

The police crackdown was in response to three rapes which allegedly happened at three of the hotels in the last two weeks.

Central Jakarta Police Deputy Chief Maj. Bambang said they raided Sudi Mampir, Djati, Surya Jaya, Jawa Sumatra, Tetap Jaya and Tirsa. The Bugar Jaya massage parlor was also hit.

"The police will release the people after identifying them," he said.

A few of the couples seemed dazed by the crackdown. A young girl cried while her partner looked confused. The couples were taken away in police trucks.

The first rape reportedly took place at Hotel Sudi Mampir. A 14-year-old school girl was allegedly raped by a phys-ed teacher and a police corporal on May 10.

A shop attendant was raped by a man believed to be a psychic on May 17 at Hotel Djati.

A man then raped a maid at Hotel Jawa Sumatara, before stealing her bag and necklace on May 20.

All six hotels rent rooms by the hour for an average price of Rp 3,000 (US$1.29).

The hotels also provided in-house prostitutes. The normal rate is Rp 15,000 an hour.

The city public order office admitted it has failed to supervise seedy hotels in Tanah Abang.

"The office is still concentrating its attention and efforts on various other social problems such clearing the city of street prostitutes, street vendors and beggars," Toha Reno, the head of entertainment supervision department of the office, said yesterday.

He said the hotels fall under city administration supervision because they register at the city tourism office.

He said his office has failed to supervise the hotels, and as a result many of them violate various regulations.

Citing an example, he said there is a regulation which stipulates that hotels are not allowed to rent rooms by the hour, but most hotels make the most of the complete lack of supervision. (jun/yns)