Raids continue on alcohol, prostitutes

JAKARTA (JP): Five hundred bottles of alcohol were seized Saturday evening from sites without permits to sell alcohol.

The city's public order agency also picked up six street prostitutes operating at the National Monument Park in Central Jakarta. They were taken to a temporary home run by the social services agency in Kedoya, West Jakarta.

Prostitutes are usually only allowed to be taken to Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta, officially a rehabilitation center for sex workers.

Toha Reno of the public order agency said the alcohol was confiscated from small shops and street vendors in the slums in Tanah Abang and Senen in Central Jakarta, Pulomas and Sunter in North Jakarta, and Tebet and Pasar Rumput in South Jakarta.

Several of the bottles carried imported labels such as Miller, Tsing Tao beer and Johnny Walker. Local brands confiscated included Bir Bintang, Kolesom wine, and John Roben.

Toha said the operation involving 50 personnel is prone to leaks.

"We have had information leaks before, so we keep quiet about the operation until the last minute," he said. (04)