Used motorcycles to Nigeria seized

BOGOR (JP): The police have foiled an attempt to smuggle 84 used motorcycles to Nigeria, an official said on Tuesday.

During a Sunday night raid on a warehouse on Jl. Cileungsi here, police arrested four members of the smuggling ring, chief detective Maj. Achmat Juri told reporters.

"The used motorcycles discovered in a container at the warehouse were going to be smuggled to Nigeria through Tanjung Priok harbor (in North Jakarta)," Juri explained.

The port is about 70 kilometers north of Bogor.

According to the officer, suspect Budi Suryanto had the task of handling the transport and shipping of the motorcycles, Tirtaloka Suryabrata was the warehouse owner, and Abdullah Muin and Agus Supriatna sought out and inspected used motorcycles.

The four were arrested after they were unable to show the documents required to export motorcycles, Juri said.

During interrogation, the four suspects admitted to having shipped hundreds of motorcycles abroad in at least four shipments using shoe export documents as a cover, Juri said.

"We are still looking into the possibility that other parties such as custom officers were involved," he said.

He did not disclose whether or not the motorcycles were stolen vehicles.

He said police were looking for a possible link between the smuggling ring and the recent increase in motorcycle thefts in the Bogor area.

On Sept. 27, North Jakarta Police arrested three men at a rented house in Kelapa Gading for attempting to smuggle 56 stolen motorcycles out of the country.

The motorcycles were about to be shipped to Singapore when the three were detained. (24/jun)