Police Seize Foreign Currency and Documents in South Jakarta Cafe Raid
Jakarta (ANTARA) - A joint team from the Indonesian National Police and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police has seized a quantity of foreign currency, the total of which is still being counted, along with various important documents during a search of a café in the Cipete area of South Jakarta on Wednesday.
Head of Public Relations at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Chief Commissioner Budi Hermanto, explained that the search was linked to the investigation of three major cases: alleged corruption in coal procurement that triggered a blackout (total electricity outage) by PLN, alleged corruption at PT Asabri, and at PT Krakatau Steel.
“Indeed, concealed behind a cabinet there was a safe, and it has been opened. It turned out to contain several documents and cash deposits in a rather substantial, fantastic amount, in Singapore Dollars and US Dollars,” he said.
Budi explained that the money and documents were found inside a hidden safe located on the second floor of the café.
Officers are currently examining the seized documents and counting the total amount of foreign cash.
Besides Cipete, the police are moving dynamically, extending the searches to several other locations within the jurisdictions of Jakarta and West Java. In South Jakarta alone, there are four to five search locations.
“There are several points at Pacific Place, including in the Kuningan and Sudirman areas, and this extends towards the Bogor region. There are several houses as well as offices,” he said.
Regarding the choice of the café’s location and the alleged presence of a money-changing facility that was also searched, Budi said these locations are strongly suspected of being used to disguise the proceeds of crime.
“They are reasonably suspected of being places used for money laundering. But that is still an allegation; we continue to adhere to the principle of presumption of innocence,” said Budi.
He emphasised that all these cases have been formally elevated to the investigation stage.
All evidence seized from a total of eight search locations will be taken to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police or the Traffic Corps (Korlantas) Anti-Corruption unit to preserve its integrity.
The search process has also been confirmed to comply with applicable standard operating procedures, involving local witnesses.
As for the number of witnesses questioned and the possible involvement of state officials in the case, the police said official information would be provided once all data has been compiled by the investigative team.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police also reminded the public not to obstruct the investigation into the alleged money laundering offences involving PT PLN (Persero), PT Asabri (Persero), and PT Krakatau Steel.
The three cases concern the total blackout under the management of PT PLN (Persero); the alleged corruption case at Asabri and Jiwasraya from 2020 to 2025; and alleged money laundering in the settlement of PT CBS’s debts to PT KNI.
“We convey to anyone who attempts to obstruct the investigation process that they can be prosecuted under Article 21 of the Anti-Corruption Law,” said Chief Commissioner Budi Hermanto, Head of Public Relations at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, in the Cipete area of Jakarta on Wednesday.