Twenty-seven prostitutes rounded up in Bogor raid

BOGOR (JP): Bogor Police have rounded up another 27 prostitutes, raising to 127 the number of sex workers caught in a series of law enforcement operations during the last three months.

The Bogor Police chief, Col. Dadang Garnida, said Wednesday that 14 of the 27 prostitutes were apprehended Tuesday night in Pondok Bambu Inn on Jl. Baru Kemang, while the other 14 were picked up along several streets in the city,

"We gave priority to the hotel because we heard that it was used as a den of prostitution," Dadang said, adding that police would also question the owner of the hotel.

"If it is proved that the owner uses the hotel for prostitution, we will bring the owner to court for violating the hotel's license," he said.

He said sex workers would also be sent to court for committing minor crimes. Prostitutes may face a maximum penalty of three months in jail or fines of Rp 50,000 (US$13.8), according to Bogor Bylaw No. 1/1990.

Kusnadi, the head of Bogor's public order office, said earlier that the prostitutes caught in the operations were aged between 20 and 30.

He said the women claimed to work as prostitutes because it was hard to get other types of work.

"But some said that they did it as a hobby."

Kusnadi said the educational backgrounds of most of the women ranged from elementary school to senior high school, while the remainder had no education at all.

Most were migrants from nearby cities, including Sukabumi, Cianjur, Rangkasbitung, Tangerang and Karawang, he said.

Separately, residents of Baranangsiang subdistrict, Bogor, found a baby in front of a local resident's house Wednesday.

Dadang said the baby was believed to have been dumped by its mother, identified as Juju Juleha, 18, a senior high school student.

"The baby was still alive when it was found about 6 a.m, weighing 2.9 kilograms and measuring 49 centimeters."

He said the baby was treated at a nearby community health center.

He said Juju had not been questioned because she was being treated at the Indonesian Red Cross Hospital in Bogor for bleeding and shock.

Police believed that the baby was the result of an illicit relationship. (24/jun)