Police bust thugs along nothern coast route
Police bust thugs along nothern coast route
Indra Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu
Police authorities have finally started cracking down on hoodlums
extorting money from bus and private car drivers passing by the
Northern Coast route on Java island.
Indramayu police chief Eko Hadi Sutedjo revealed on Friday
that six thugs, locally known as preman, had been arrested in a
police operation aimed at getting rid of hoodlums operating on
the Northern Coast route.
"They were caught red-handed extorting money from drivers in
the Haurgeulis area or Indramayu on Thursday evening," Eko said
on Friday.
The arrest was made after hundreds of bus drivers, crews and
bus owners protested to Indramayu police demanding the
authorities to take stern action against the hoodlums.
Chairman of Indramayu Organization of Land Transportation
Owners (Organda) told The Jakarta Post on Friday that bus drivers
and crews also went to the Organda office to complain about money
extortion by hoodlums.
"Hundreds of bus drivers and crews from five bus companies
plying the Cirebon-Jakarta route complained about the extortion
on Thursday," he said.
Bus companies plying the Cirebon-Jakarta route include
Bhineka, Sahabat, Jusuf Sekeluarga, Tiga Putra and PT GAruda Mas.
Together, they have around 500 buses.
Last Tuesday, the same bus drivers, crews and bus owners also
lodged a complaint with Organda.
"We reported their complaints to the police last Tuesday,"
Iskandar said.
Bus drivers are often forced to pay as much as Rp 100,000
daily to hoodlums.
Eko said the arrested thugs hailed from Kertajaya village,
Bongas district, Indramayu regency.
According to Iskandar, hoodlums were operating freely in areas
such as Cirebon, Jatibarang, Indramayu and Pamanukan.
"The hoodlums are operating in groups of between five to 10.
They always carry sharp weapons such as knifes and machetes.
Sometimes they also hurt the victims," Eko said.
Ruskendar, a bus driver plying the Cirebon-Jakarta route, said
the thugs do not want small change.
"They feel insulted if we give them small change. Drivers pay
between Rp 10,000 and Rp 100,000 to each group of hoodlums that
stop them," he said.
According to Iskandar, the most dangerous areas are
Jatibarang, Widasari, Kandanghaur, Eretan and Pamanukan. They
operated night and day, he added.
"Not so long ago, the preman stopped a military bus carrying
air force cadets and asked them to pay," Iskandar said.
"If they can stop and extort money from military personnel,
how much more to civilians," he said, urging the police to take
firm action against the hoodlums.