Police Form Team to Uncover Travel Quarantine Crimes

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police (Polri) criminal investigation unit (Bareskrim) has formed a special investigation team to handle cases regarding health quarantine violations that involve systematic or organized groups, which is locally deemed Covid-19 quarantine mafia.

Polri spokesperson insp. General Dedi Prasetyo said the team’s formation came under a direct order from the national police chief, Antaranews reported. 

“The team is currently working. They are communicating, coordinating, and conducting verifications with multiple parties,” said the spokesperson on February 8.

This dedicated team is tasked to investigate how the quarantine procedure is imposed on international travelers who arrive in Indonesia, both foreign nationals and Indonesians. They will oversee the work of immigrations, health quarantine processes, Covid-19 task force, airport management, and airport officials. 

He also noted that the Indonesian hotels association overseeing the services of quarantine hotels will also be monitored by this team. Prasetyo assured that an investigation is ongoing which will determine whether a criminal offense had happened in the process of quarantine of international travelers. 

The spokesperson assures that violators or those incriminated in this quarantine mafia-like activities will be brought to justice. He mentioned the tracking app touted the 'Monitoring Karantina Presisi' (precision quarantine monitoring) has been introduced for foreigners and Indonesians arriving from overseas travel. The app will alert authorities if these travelers exceed the 200 meters limit parameter from their quarantine location.

Read: MotoGP Paddock Subjected to Special Travel Bubble Quarantine

ANTARA