Security officers growing fat on lottery

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The underground lottery is one of the largest illegal clandestine businesses in Jakarta. The operators, backed up by corrupt police and military officer, are making billions of rupiah in profit every month.

Jaelani, not his real name, one of hundreds of lottery agents, revealed that in one night he could get at least Rp 10 million net from operating the Singapur and Malaysia lotteries, which operate every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Monday.

Jaelani's business group, which he called BC, covers five districts, comprising Pondok Aren, Bumi Serpong Damai, Ciputat, and Pamulang - all located in Tangerang; and Pesanggrahan in South Jakarta.

The gross profit of the business in one night from all the districts is about Rp 200 million. Jaelani, as an agent, receives 35 percent of the profit, which is Rp 70 million. The money is then distributed among his subordinates, and he is left with 15 percent of the amount as his stake.

Every croupier in Greater Jakarta operates a different book of coupons. Each coupon has the stamp of the respective business group, such as Kera Sakti (Mighty Monkey), AB, CB and many more.

According to Jaelani, each district can consist of between 10 and 15 different stamps and each is operated by a certain croupier.

Jaelani, who operates as an agent overseeing some 20 subagents, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the operational structure of such businesses was made a long-way down, aimed at protecting the big croupier.

The lowest operational structure is the pengecer (retailer), followed by the retailer coordinator, subagent, pengepul or agent, agent coordinator, and bandar utama or cukong, who are the biggest croupiers operating at the highest level.

The high-level croupier is backed up by a consortium of capital owners, which also include high-ranking police and military personnel, usually with a minimum rank of brigadier general, according to Jaelani.

"When unfavorable police detain a retailer, then subagents or agents are used to cover for their bosses," Jaelani said.

The agent then confesses to be the 'big croupier'. Later, the real big croupier will deliver a large amount of cash to the agent's staff in order to bribe the police.

"Usually a retailer can be released from the district police station for between Rp 2 million or Rp 3 million, but of course with the help of a patron police officer," he said.

When caught by police from Jakarta Police Headquarters, the bribe could be far higher.

Bribes protect croupiers. In this business "money talks". Every month, the big croupier pays protection money to the police station in every level.

"For subprecinct police in Ciputat and the Pondok area, my boss only pays Rp 300,000, while for the district police in Tangerang and South Jakarta, he pays Rp 5 million, and for the city police Rp 20 million. The protection money does not include the daily bribes for police personnel," said Jaelani, who every month receives some 10 "guest" police officers in his house, asking for "coordination" money.

For an individual police officer, Jaelani usually gives them between Rp 10,000 and Rp 100,000 each, depending on their rank and post. The police who ask for money come from various police units unrelated to the gambling business, such as the vehicle crime division of Jakarta Police Headquarters and the mobile brigade.

If a big croupier fails to pay a tribute over two consecutive months, then the police, usually from the district or Jakarta Police Headquarters, raid the agent, but not the big croupier, as a kind of shock therapy.

Meanwhile, if an agent is in debt for one month to his superior, then the big croupier sends the police to force the agent to pay the debt.

The police are also used as a dummy by business players to eliminate their rivals.

"I usually tell a high-ranking police officer posted at Tangerang Police Headquarters, who happens to be a close friend of mine, to raid my rival who is backed up by a different group of police. It's fun.

"When you watch a lottery raid on television, don't count on the goodwill of the police, it's just a charade," said Jaelani with a big laugh.