S. Jakarta police catch 19 people in gambling raid
S. Jakarta police catch 19 people in gambling raid
JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Police detectives arrested 19
people and confiscated gambling equipment and cash during a raid
on Saturday night in the Grand Wijaya Center office/shop complex.
"Of the 19 people arrested, 14 claim to be Korean nationals.
But we have to check their IDs first," South Jakarta Police chief
Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang told The Jakarta Post.
Police confiscated 19 slot machines, two logbooks, US$400, Rp
4.15 million (US$488) and other pieces of gambling equipment.
It was the first raid by the South Jakarta Police under the
leadership of Edward, who was appointed chief on Thursday.
As the head of Tanjung Priok Port Police (KP3), Edward and his
detectives were involved in preventing smuggling of wood, illegal
VCDs and luxury cars.
A city police source said Grand Wijaya Center, located next to
the South Jakarta Police Headquarters, was not targeted in the
past for raids due to payoffs to some officers in the South
Jakarta Police.
Edward identified the main suspect as Yan Yang Han Ho, or
Renny, who allegedly ran the gambling den in the three-story
building, 62 B in Block F.
"Four waitresses and 14 players were arrested," Aritonang
said.
The visitors arrested were identified as Park Il Dong Lim, Ju
Hang Song, Chung Su Lim, Jo Yeun Choy, Deck Ki Min, Chun Byung
Chul, Je Ryan Moon, Sang Kil Chung, Lee Yong Sun, Lee Wang Soo,
Sang Swa Park, Cho Yung Suk, Le Gans Hyan and Lee Yung Ho.
The raid was led by Second Lt. Nur Santiko and Second Lt.
Agung.
Police officers conducting the raid found a police officer and
three employees standing guard on the first floor.
"Seeing the police officers, the officer and three employees
guarding the floor could not do anything. The officers went on to
the second floor, where they caught the 14 men and four
waitresses. The third floor was empty," a source said.
The source said the gambling den operated under the name of
Mirae Travel Agency since it was established in 1997.
"It makes about Rp 30 million (US$3,529) a day, and operates
from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. It uses coins, each worth Rp 50,000, in
the gambling game."
The den, the source said, was run under the company name of PT
Kreasi Sakti Mandiri, owned by Renny.
The National Police, along with the Attorney General's Office,
has stated its commitment to crack down on gambling.
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said previously that his
office, in cooperation with the National Police, would take
actions against gambling in the country.
Marzuki said that during a conversation with National Police
Chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo, the two agreed their institutions
would follow up on President Abdurrahman Wahid's instruction to
arrest businessman Tommy Winata, owner of Bank Artha Graha, for
allegedly organizing gambling.
"The police force will soon stop the gambling operations which
reportedly have been running on Ayer island, north of Jakarta
Bay, and on a cruise ship," he told journalists at his office
last week.
In a recent talk show on private television station SCTV,
Abdurrahman said that he had instructed the police to seize a
cruise ship belonging to a young businessman and to arrest its
owner for using it for gambling. (ylt)