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)