'Sie Jie' lottery tickets mushroom in Batam

'Sie Jie' lottery tickets mushroom in Batam

BATAM, Riau: Police officers in Batam, Riau are allegedly providing protection to brokers of Sie Jie lottery tickets in exchange for cash.

Lottery traders in Nagoya and Windsor told Antara on Monday that their bosses paid protection money to police officers every month.

"We are free to sell the tickets and never get any problems from police officers," brokers in Nagoya and Windsor said.

Police would not comment on the claims.

The traders said the lottery lured customers from all walks of life in Batam, including government officials and private sector employees. Tickets, which are readily available in food stalls and coffee shops, are sold for Rp 1,000 per number.

The Sie Jie lottery from Singapore is drawn on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

This gambling business, which brings gambling bosses billions of rupiah every month, is sponsored by local gamblers and gambling businessmen from Jakarta.

"We are always the source of money if the officers receive guests or have important events in Batam," said one of the Sie Jie gambling bosses in the Novotel Hotel in Batam. -- Antara