Police Apprehend 95 Illegal Agencies Smuggling Mudik Travelers
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12 May 2020 22:56 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As of Monday, May 11, Jakarta Metro Police Directorate of Traffic has apprehended another 95 illegal travel services, attempting to smuggle homecoming (mudik) travelers out of the Greater Jakarta area, during the enactment of the Large Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) policy.
“We have taken actions against the 95 illegal travel (agencies) by Monday, May 11,” said Director of the Jakarta Metro Police Traffic unit, Sr. Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo Yogo, when confirmed on Tuesday, May 12.
The police penalized the violators with a ticket, in accordance with Article 308 of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Traffic and Transportation.
"According to the rules of the article, there is a maximum fine of Rp500,000 or a maximum jail sentence of 2 months," Sambodo said.
Although he did not reveal the total number of mudik travelers carried by the 95 illegal travel agencies, he ensured that none of them managed to break through the checkpoints set up along the Greater Jakarta area borders.
Previously, Jakarta Police had apprehended 228 vehicles of illegal travel services transporting a total of 1,389 homecoming travelers, during the Ketupat Operation, since April 24, 2020.
According to Sambodo, the hopeful mudik travelers had to spend as much as 7 times of the normal price in order to be able to leave the Greater Jakarta area during the national homecoming ban or mudik ban. "The price to go to Cirebon is usually only Rp100,000; now it’s increased up to Rp750,000," said the police.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH | Translator: DIO SUHENDA (Intern)