Police say they lack evidence of gambling on ships
Police say they lack evidence of gambling on ships
BANDUNG (JP): Police do not yet have enough evidence to arrest
people for gambling on board vessels berthed at Tanjung Priok
port, North Jakarta.
National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro said
yesterday the police could not act solely on the basis of media
reports.
He said he wants the gamblers caught red-handed so the police
can get firsthand information on how the gambling organizers
manage games of chance aboard ships.
Banurusman said it would be impossible to raid vessels
cruising near free waters. "It is the Indonesian Navy which has
the authority. Besides the boats the police have are not as good
as the Navy's."
He said his office has informed the naval commander about the
alleged gambling in vessels off Jakarta Bay.
"But we must arrest them while they are gambling. This is not
an easy job," he said.
Banurusman was speaking after installing Brig. Gen. (ret)
Herman S. Sastrawidjaja as new rector of the Bandung-based
University of Langlangbuana yesterday. The university is managed
by the Police Foundation. Herman succeeded Brig. Gen. Ali
Hanafiah.
Allegations
Banurusman said the media has picked up on reports among the
public that allege gambling is available on ships in Jakarta Bay.
"But is it legal for us to arrest them after they leave from the
ships?" he asked.
Reports say that the gambling has been taking place on the
ships called Nautican, Leisure World and Columbus. The ships
carry foreign flags but are allegedly rented by Indonesians.
The recent media reports and rumors circling among the public
about the alleged gambling on board vessels berthed at Tanjung
Priok have upset the police.
The Tanjung Priok port Police Chief, Lt. Col. Timbul Sianturi
earlier told The Jakarta Post that the police officers under his
command have found it hard to prove that anything illegal was
going on abroad the ships.
Even if his office could prove wrongdoing, it would be almost
impossible to arrest the gamblers, or the vessels' owners,
because the ships are usually anchored outside the area under the
jurisdiction of the port police, Timbul said.
Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto Koeswanto said earlier that
he has not yet received any reports or information from police
about gambling aboard vessels at Tanjung Priok.
He said that the Navy will willing assist the police fight the
gambling.
Tanto's statements apparently has sent shock wave through
gambling circles. Kompas daily quoted a businessman claiming to
have joined the gambling on one of the ships that he was afraid
that Tanto was serious.
The man, identified only as Ed, told the daily that easy and
safe access to gambling would be disrupted if Navy members were
fielded in a crackdown. "Things are becoming very serious. We'd
better suspended the gambling for a while," Ed, was quoted by the
daily as saying.
The businessman, who deals in heavy equipment, said that the
gamblers and the gambling organizers have not yet been deterred
by media reports on their activities, because they have "strong
people" behind them. (bsr)