Two officers detained in garlic scam: Source

JAKARTA (JP): Two police officers have been detained for possible involvement in the alleged sale of more than seven tons of garlic earmarked as material evidence in court, a police source said yesterday.

The officer of the city police headquarters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said officers whom he identified only as YL and NG were under investigation by the city police internal affairs unit.

"They were detained in relation to the ongoing investigation on the reports of a spice trader swindled out of her merchandise," he said.

Also part of the investigation is Lt. Col. SUN from the city police fraud detectives unit, he added.

All are being questioned by a special team set up to investigate the possible involvement of police officers in the alleged sale of 7.32 metric tons of garlic confiscated from a spice trader named Setia Arba Sibarani, 43.

Setia accused members of the police fraud detective unit last week of selling the garlic they confiscated from her for her alleged involvement in illegal transactions last year.

She claimed the police cooperated with another spice trader, Lely, in selling the confiscated garlic.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post, city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said he was unaware of the detention of the two officers.

"There is an ongoing investigation into this case but, as far as I know, there are no officers detained," he said.

Aritonang said Lely told the police she bought the garlic from another trader, not from a police officer. (edt)