Police find containers with two sedans inside

Police find containers with two sedans inside

JAKARTA (JP): Police officers found yesterday a container of motor vehicles that had been stolen from a terminal in the Tanjung Priok port.

The head of the port police, Lt. Col. Timbul Sianturi, said yesterday that the box contained a Mercedes Benz 500 CL and a Porsche along with three Honda Hurricane motorbikes, Timbul told The Jakarta Post.

The 40-foot container, shipped from Singapore, has been the focus of a port authority search since the three men, including two excise and customs officials, tried to steal it on Oct. 31.

The other suspect was reportedly working for the container importer in Singapore.

The officer said yesterday that the owner of the container had been summoned for questioning about the contents of the container, which were not known until the container was opened yesterday.

Asked if the vehicles had been smuggled into Indonesia, Timbul said there was no conclusive evidence. "Let's wait and see in the next few days."

The importer, whose identity is being withheld by the police and excise and customs officers, can now be charged for smuggling and tax evasion.

Import taxes and surcharges of up to 200 percent are imposed on cars with a cylinder capacity exceeding 3,000 cubic centimeters and motorbikes with a cylinder capacity of more than 200 cubic centimeters.

Honda Hurricane motorcycles have a cylinder capacity of more than 1,000 cc engines.

The two officials arrested last month were identified only as MT and MF, the other as AK.

The three arrested used fake documents, which stated that the container held electronic goods, to take the container out of the port compound. (bsr)