Police seize smuggled luxury cars and bikes
TANGERANG (JP): Police detectives have confiscated two luxury cars and two high-performance motorbikes together with spare parts allegedly smuggled into the country from Singapore.
Tangerang Police chief Sr. Supt. Syafei Aksal said on Saturday that his detectives had arrested three men claiming to be vehicle spare part traders in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, for their alleged roles in the smuggling of a Mercedes Benz 300 SLE and a Toyota Lexus, and a Honda Drag Star and a Suzuki.
"During preliminary questioning, the three men told the police that they bought the goods off a container ship from Singapore through a freight forwarding company for Rp 50 million," officer Syafei said.
The officer did not say whether the three men knew that the container held luxury sedans and motorcycles or just vehicle spare parts.
He said police were still investigating whether an organized smuggling syndicate was behind the crime.
Both cars were 1992 models and sell on the local market for around Rp 800 million (US$96,400) each. The two bikes can fetch up to Rp 80 million a piece.
The spare parts have not been priced yet as they are still in the container.
The three suspects were identified as Sadeli, 40, Nuraksa Nul Haq, and Feri Munandar, both 32, all from Pamulang in Tangerang.
The arrests were made after police received reports from several local people of luxury cars being unloaded from a container truck into a disused rattan factory. on Jl. Raya Curug, Kadu Curug, here.
"The police went to the scene and seized all the goods," he said.
The container truck's driver Rahmad and his assistant were paid Rp 60,000 each for transporting the goods without proper legal documents from Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, to the warehouse where the three planned to pick them up later, Syafei said.
"They (the driver and assistant) didn't know that they were carrying smuggled goods".
"The three suspects were arrested after they arrived at the scene and claimed to be buyers," he said. (41/lup)