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haria police in Aceh Besar, Aceh province, on Wednesday, arrested three men for buying food in a restaurant during the fasting day.

“We have been watching the restaurant for several days to verify reports from the public,” said Darul Imarah district chief, Azhari Awai.

According to him, a number of sharia police personnel had conducted surveillance on the Dua Putra Minang restaurant, owned by Misra Diani, on Wednesday morning before conducting a raid on it.

“The restaurant was apparently closed, so transactions could not be monitored from the outside,” said Azhari.

The sharia police officers immediately raided the restaurant, while a number of customers were buying packed rice.

The officers detained three men who were caught buying food and drinks. They also seized food which was being prepared in the kitchen, and brought the men to the sharia police station.

“According to regulations, food can only be sold a few hours before the breaking of the fast. If food is sold before the determined time, it is regarded as a violation,” said Azhari.

Vendors who sell food outside the set times during Ramadhan are regarded as violating Regulation (Qanun) No. 11/2002 on principles of Islamic law.

According to Darul Imarah’s military commander Murdani, who also took part in the raid, the restaurant is owned by a member of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

“We will legally process anyone who disrespects the fasting month by selling food,” said Murdani.

A customer who was caught in the process of buying food, Darmawan, said he was asked to buy it by another person.

“I was just a messenger buying food which I did not eat,” said Darmawan.

Based on Paragraph 1 of Article 22 of Regulation No. 11/2002, anybody who is found guilty of violating the regulation is subject to a prison sentence of one year, or a maximum fine of Rp 3 million (US$351), or six lashes of the cane in public. Paragraph 2 of the article says that anybody found eating or drinking in a public place during the Ramadhan fasting day is subject to a jail sentence of four months, or a two lashes with a cane in public.

On Oct. 1 last year, two Acehnese women were caned in front of Almunawarah Mosque in Jantho, Aceh Besar regency, for selling rice during Ramadhan.

The two were found guilty of violating the Qanun, according to the verdict of the Aceh Besar sharia Court.

They were caned three times and twice, respectively, according to vhrmedia.com.