Police seize four alleged smuggled luxury cars

JAKARTA (JP): City traffic police chief Col. Nyoman Sukesna said his officers confiscated three Mercedes and a Land Cruiser from the residence of a prominent figure on Jl. Barito, Kebayoran Baru, in South Jakarta, early on Saturday morning.

"This is an ongoing investigation that involves 14 such smuggled cars. We received information a month ago that cars entered our nation illegally, some through Bali, some through Surabaya, East Java," Nyoman told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"I cannot give you the name of that 'prominent figure' since he's currently on the run. To date he has not returned to his home. Only housemaids were there during the raid on his house by five of my officers at about 1 a.m. on Saturday."

Nyoman said two of the three confiscated Mercedes were 1999 models and the third a 1998 model.

"The problem was all three had one license plate, B 430 ... I can't give you the full number. There was only one registration document for the three Mercedes, which was a document for a 1979 model Mercedes," Nyoman said.

He said there was another Land Cruiser at the house which was not confiscated.

"One Land Cruiser was a 1998 model that was white with a maroon stripe along the lower body. Another was a 1997 model, which was reportedly smuggled in by UNAMET (United Nations Assistance Mission In East Timor)," Nyoman said.

"There is this smuggling network ... which we will deal with shortly."

Ferrari

Last Thursday, Tanjung Priok Seaport (KP3) Police in North Jakarta confiscated three Ferraris.

"When we investigated this case, we found that the cars were meant to delivered to a very important official here. I'm sorry, I can't give you the name," KP3 police chief Col. Edward Aritonang said.

The confiscation of imported luxury cars was the first of its kind this year. The illegal importation of luxury cars was rampant in the 1970s. (ylt)