Sleuths off to U.S., Italy to unravel thefts
Sleuths off to U.S., Italy to unravel thefts
JAKARTA (JP): Three senior city police detectives will leave for the Netherlands, the U.S. and Italy on Sunday to investigate the theft of goods from containers shipped from Jakarta.
The three policemen are Crime Investigation Directorate Secretary Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi, Economic Crime Unit Chief Lt. Col. Aryanto Setiadi and Smuggling Unit Chief Maj. Abdullah.
"We're assigned to find out the details of the thieves' modus operandi and the exact number of containers opened by the thieves and how the thieves open the boxes shipped from Jakarta," Edi told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
Edi said the detectives' short visit to the three countries is also aimed at collecting information from exporters and port authorities.
He said that scientific findings made in the three countries would help police smash the ring.
Indonesian exporters and importers have long awaited action from the police in Greater Jakarta on the theft of goods from containers, having received a series of complaints from their business partners overseas regarding containers which have been broken into.
The city police have recently arrested members of three gangs suspected of stealing US$2-million worth of local products from containers bound for export.
"The thefts have damaged Indonesian exporters' reputations. It is a serious problem," Minister of Transportations Haryanto Dhanutirto told reporters after a recent meeting with Vice President Try Sutrisno.
According to police data, the theft syndicates choose only containers loaded with garments and footwear, which can easily be re-sold on the city's black market.
Garments and footwear are among Indonesia's main export commodities.
"We pledge to fight against these crooks to help improve our exporters' reputation overseas which, in turn, can help boost our exports," Edi said.
At home
Police said the thefts began at home, starting before the containers reached the port. Records indicate that the syndicates usually involved at least 10 members, including truck drivers and warehouse guards at the terminal port.
Police said that the gangs conducted their operations when the truck traffic into Tanjung Priok port was heavy.
"Sometimes, the officers at the port's measurement office have no chance to carefully note the trucks' weight during such peak hours," said a reliable source at the port who requested anonymity.
In October the Tanjung Priok Port Police arrested 11 members of a gang for stealing a container of garments worth about Rp 300 million (about$133,000).
Police said the thieves broke the boxes up and sold the wooden planks individually in an effort to destroy the evidence. The clothes were also sold individually at very low prices.
Owned by PT Sainath Industri Corporation Limited, which is located in an industrial bonded zone inside the port area, the goods were to be shipped to Greveport in Ohio, U.S.(bsr)