Thirty Arrested in Tangerang Thuggery Crackdown as Extortion Threatens Investment Climate
TANGERANG, KOMPAS - Thirty people have been arrested, eight of whom have been named as suspects, in connection with assault and thuggery involving debt collectors. The presence of thugs is feared to be hampering investment.
The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tangerang City Police, Commissioner Arief N Yusuf, stated on Wednesday evening (30/4/2025) that police have arrested 30 individuals suspected of involvement in extortion and illegal levies in the Tangerang area. They operate in the districts of Pasar Kemis, Cikupa, Balaraja, and Panongan.
Of the 30 individuals, eight have been designated as suspects, two of whom are detained in connection with extortion involving debt collectors in the Pasar Kemis area. The victim, SB (23), a resident of Indramayu Regency, West Java, suffered a loss of approximately Rp 33 million after his motorbike, a black 2023 Honda PCX, mysteriously disappeared. The motorbike had been handed over to the perpetrator, who claimed to represent a leasing company.
Pasar Kemis Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Saepul Bahri, added that the incident began on Tuesday (8/4/2025), when the victim was forcibly stopped by six people claiming to be leasing officers. "The victim was asked to hand over the ignition key and the vehicle registration document (STNK) of the motorcycle. However, the motorcycle and STNK were then taken by the perpetrator, who provided a vehicle handover letter that turned out to be fake," said Saepul.
The confiscated evidence includes a fake leasing certificate and vehicle handover report. The case remains under further investigation to uncover the perpetrators' network and restore the victims' rights. Saepul stated that he would take firm action against perpetrators of fraud and embezzlement.
Arief urged the public to remain actively involved in maintaining order and to report immediately if they become aware of any acts of thuggery or illegal levies. "Do not be afraid to report if you know of or become a victim of thuggery or illegal levies," he stated. Reports can be made to the nearest police station or through the Halo Kapolresta Tangerang hotline at 08111230110.
Thuggery remains an unresolved problem. Several ongoing cases include the extortion of entrepreneurs by social organisations under the guise of requesting holiday allowances (THR) in Bekasi. There was also an act of thuggery in Cimanggis, Depok City, by a group of mass organisations seeking to protect their branch chairman, identified by the initials TS, who was about to be apprehended by police. TS had been arrested for intimidating employees of a construction company and had fired shots that injured a heavy equipment operator. The incident in Depok also resulted in the destruction of a police vehicle and injuries to officers. Six individuals have been designated as suspects.
The prevalence of thuggery across various sectors has ultimately affected investment. The growth of realised investment in the first three months of 2025 has slowed compared to the same period last year. In addition to indicating continued weakness in incentive effectiveness, this condition is closely related to thuggery in industrial areas, which has recently garnered significant attention.
The Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) recorded that investment realisation in the first quarter of 2025 reached IDR 465.2 trillion, equivalent to 24.4 per cent of the total investment target for 2025 of IDR 1,905.6 trillion.
BKPM Head and Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani stated at the BKPM Building in Jakarta on Tuesday (29/4/2025) that the slowdown in investment growth during the first three months of 2025 highlights several issues that still need to be addressed to improve the investment climate, including ease of licensing, legal certainty, and extortion.
Regarding thuggery, Rosan said he has received complaints from investors. "We are also coordinating with the Chief of Police and local government to ensure that such issues do not occur, as they have a negative impact on incoming investments," said Rosan.
Kompas noted that the construction of the Build Your Dreams (BYD) factory in Subang, West Java, was allegedly disrupted by mass organisations. This issue emerged when Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Eddy Soeparno revealed reports of thuggery disrupting investment and the BYD factory construction in Subang.
"Investors should not come to Indonesia and feel that they do not receive security guarantees. Security guarantees are fundamental for investments to enter Indonesia," said Eddy during his visit to the BYD factory in Shenzhen, China.
The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tangerang City Police, Commissioner Arief N Yusuf, stated on Wednesday evening (30/4/2025) that police have arrested 30 individuals suspected of involvement in extortion and illegal levies in the Tangerang area. They operate in the districts of Pasar Kemis, Cikupa, Balaraja, and Panongan.
Of the 30 individuals, eight have been designated as suspects, two of whom are detained in connection with extortion involving debt collectors in the Pasar Kemis area. The victim, SB (23), a resident of Indramayu Regency, West Java, suffered a loss of approximately Rp 33 million after his motorbike, a black 2023 Honda PCX, mysteriously disappeared. The motorbike had been handed over to the perpetrator, who claimed to represent a leasing company.
Pasar Kemis Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Saepul Bahri, added that the incident began on Tuesday (8/4/2025), when the victim was forcibly stopped by six people claiming to be leasing officers. "The victim was asked to hand over the ignition key and the vehicle registration document (STNK) of the motorcycle. However, the motorcycle and STNK were then taken by the perpetrator, who provided a vehicle handover letter that turned out to be fake," said Saepul.
The confiscated evidence includes a fake leasing certificate and vehicle handover report. The case remains under further investigation to uncover the perpetrators' network and restore the victims' rights. Saepul stated that he would take firm action against perpetrators of fraud and embezzlement.
Arief urged the public to remain actively involved in maintaining order and to report immediately if they become aware of any acts of thuggery or illegal levies. "Do not be afraid to report if you know of or become a victim of thuggery or illegal levies," he stated. Reports can be made to the nearest police station or through the Halo Kapolresta Tangerang hotline at 08111230110.
Thuggery remains an unresolved problem. Several ongoing cases include the extortion of entrepreneurs by social organisations under the guise of requesting holiday allowances (THR) in Bekasi. There was also an act of thuggery in Cimanggis, Depok City, by a group of mass organisations seeking to protect their branch chairman, identified by the initials TS, who was about to be apprehended by police. TS had been arrested for intimidating employees of a construction company and had fired shots that injured a heavy equipment operator. The incident in Depok also resulted in the destruction of a police vehicle and injuries to officers. Six individuals have been designated as suspects.
The prevalence of thuggery across various sectors has ultimately affected investment. The growth of realised investment in the first three months of 2025 has slowed compared to the same period last year. In addition to indicating continued weakness in incentive effectiveness, this condition is closely related to thuggery in industrial areas, which has recently garnered significant attention.
The Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) recorded that investment realisation in the first quarter of 2025 reached IDR 465.2 trillion, equivalent to 24.4 per cent of the total investment target for 2025 of IDR 1,905.6 trillion.
BKPM Head and Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani stated at the BKPM Building in Jakarta on Tuesday (29/4/2025) that the slowdown in investment growth during the first three months of 2025 highlights several issues that still need to be addressed to improve the investment climate, including ease of licensing, legal certainty, and extortion.
Regarding thuggery, Rosan said he has received complaints from investors. "We are also coordinating with the Chief of Police and local government to ensure that such issues do not occur, as they have a negative impact on incoming investments," said Rosan.
Kompas noted that the construction of the Build Your Dreams (BYD) factory in Subang, West Java, was allegedly disrupted by mass organisations. This issue emerged when Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Eddy Soeparno revealed reports of thuggery disrupting investment and the BYD factory construction in Subang.
"Investors should not come to Indonesia and feel that they do not receive security guarantees. Security guarantees are fundamental for investments to enter Indonesia," said Eddy during his visit to the BYD factory in Shenzhen, China.