Two servicemen arrested in disco crackdown
JAKARTA (JP): At least two armed servicemen, including an intelligence officer, were arrested in a raid carried out by the City Military Police at the Hailai discotheque next to Ancol Dreamland in North Jakarta early Saturday.
The 1.30 am raid, carried out by the elite Mobile Brigade of the police force, seized two guns - an FN 46 and a Colt Barreta - along with 25 bullets, a walkie-talkie, seven dried marijuana cigarettes and 10 ecstasy pills, according to the commander of the military police garrison and leader of the raid, Lt. Col. Otte Ruchiyat.
He said the two arrested servicemen were identified as intelligence officer Jef B. and First Lieutenant F.M. Sim.
The Colt Barreta gun, and its 15 bullets, was confiscated from Jef. "If found guilty, this officer could spend two weeks in jail," Ruchiyat said.
Another serviceman, identified only as Second Sergeant Sut., escaped a few minutes after being apprehended,
Ruchiyat pledged to have the suspect, whose is well known, arrested soon.
"These servicemen have violated the rules of the Armed Forces for carrying guns illegally in such a public place and being at an improper place," said officer Ruchiyat.
"They were at the place not because of being assigned there by their superiors," he said.
It remains unknown how many civilians were arrested during the two-hour raid, which started at around 1.35 a.m. at one of the city's favorite haunts for middle-and high-class discothequegoers.
Sources said that at least two civilians were taken for further interrogation for allegedly possessing Ecstasy and other illegal substances.
One of them was identified as Yosep Hungan, a newcomer in a television serial. Several Ecstasy pills were confiscated from him.
Following the recent death of a senior police officer at a discotheque here and an increasing trend for many servicemen to frequent such places to earn extra money, the Armed Forces headquarters has reminded all personnel to avoid any entertainment places.
Military Police Chief Brig. Gen. Syamsu said early last month that no members of the Armed Forces, including the police, are allowed to enter the so-called prohibited places.
Like many overclass discotheques in town, the Hailai is often used by its customers as an arena for illegal business, such as prostitution and drug dealing.
Top celebrities and businessmen have often been caught in raids on the discotheques for allegedly participating in such illegal activities.
"We'll continue to carry out such operations throughout the year," Ruchiyat promised. (bsr)