TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Jakarta Police have arrested 114 gamblers in the past month. “Those gamblers were arrested while gambling,” West Jakarta deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bahtiar Purnama, said on Thursday, October 30, 2014.
The police seized multiple pieces of evidence during the busts, including Rp11 million in cash, cell phones, a laptop and gambling equipment. The suspects are charged with Article 303 of the Criminal Code on Gambling with a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Bahtiar said the arrests was a directive from Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Unggung Cahyono. He added each police station in the capital was given a target to unravel gambling cases, and that investigators’ performance were measured based on the set quota.
The West Jakarta Police’s general crime unit chief, Second Insp. Eko Barmula, said most of the nabbed gamblers were drivers, factory workers and the unemployed. He added the crackdown operations were mostly launched in public places, such as bus terminals, bus stops and parks.
DIMAS SIREGAR