Warehouse Storing Thousands of Illegal Motorcycles Operates Secretly for 4 Years, Trucks Ferry Goods in the Dead of Night

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - For approximately four years of operation, the motorcycle warehouse on Jalan Kemandoran VIII, Grogol Utara, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, has shown minimal visible activity to nearby residents.

A resident living not far from the location, Nurdin (not his real name), said that activities at the warehouse were more commonly observed at night.

Large containers transporting motorcycles usually arrived towards dawn.

“It’s quite discreet. Usually, only two or three containers come at night,” Nurdin told Kompas.com at the site on Tuesday (12/5/2026).

Even, the roofs of the tall vehicles often snagged on cables in the surrounding area.

Although its activities were discreet, local residents knew that the former workshop land was being used as a motorcycle warehouse.

Nurdin admitted to having spoken with several warehouse employees.

From their admissions, the workers claimed they did not know that the stored motorcycles were the proceeds of crime intended for export abroad.

Another resident, Santi (not her real name), also said she never saw suspicious activities at the warehouse.

According to Santi, the employees stated that the stored motorcycles came from the factory and were to be sold overseas.

“It’s normal; that’s how it is with enclosed warehouses. According to the people there, the (motorcycles) are from the warehouse, to be sold abroad,” said Santi.

Santi said that neither the employees nor the warehouse owner ever appeared to be hiding their activities. She had even been allowed to enter the warehouse area and leave her motorcycle there while going home for the holidays.