Police seize 1,500 pornographic discs, cassettes
JAKARTA (JP): Police confiscated more than 1,500 pornographic cassettes and laser discs during a series of recent raids across the city.
"We also arrested three suspects from whom we confiscated the stuff, two video rental shop owners and one distributor," Lt. Col. Aryanto S., chief of the economic investigation office at the city police headquarters, told reporters yesterday.
The three suspects were identified only as TST, 45, owner of the "Muara Karang" video-cassette rental shop in Muara Karang district, North Jakarta; DJ, 33, owner of a video-cassette rental shop at the Kalibata mall, South Jakarta; and DJT, 52, a video- cassette distributor living in Kebon Jeruk district, West Jakarta.
DJT had reportedly made a living for two years by copying laser discs into cassettes at his home and then distributing them throughout Java.
Police seized a total of 576 laser discs and six bags of pirated video cassettes, comprising around 1,050 tapes, during three raids headed by Maj. Jimmy P. Sinaga, chief of the product unit of the economic investigative office. The raids were carried out between May 27 and June 30.
Aryanto said the three suspects had violated several laws including 1992 law No. 8 on cinematography which carries a maximum of five years in jail or a fine of Rp 50 million (US$23,300) for anyone found guilty of either exporting, distributing or showing uncensored pictures.
They might also be charged with violating chapter 282 of the Criminal Code which carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail or a fine of Rp 45,000 ($21).
Aryanto said police freed the three on bail after they gave written statements promising not to leave the city during a specified period of time.
"We know where they live and will continue keeping a close eye on them," he said.
Aryanto said City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Moch. Hindarto had instructed that such raids continue since the distribution of pornographic items in the city has "reached an alarming level."
Nudity
Most of the discs and cassettes displayed yesterday during the press conference featured Chinese actresses and were produced in Hong Kong and Japan.
The Western selections included "Playboy" and "Penthouse" which feature the two magazines' nude models in provocative titles such as "Sex and Perestroika" and "Animal Instinct."
Aryanto said police had actually been "reluctant" to conduct such raids because they felt that their efforts would be fruitless unless fully supported by other related agencies, including the Ministry of Information, which exercises tight control over censorship.
"We don't have a device to monitor the pictures on discs. Thus, ideally we should ban all discs, which is impossible," he said. (jsk)