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Suspected extorters get Rp 100,000 in two hours
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A boy rides a bicycle past vehicles parked on a road in Palmerah, Central Jakarta, on May 11, 2015. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he parking lot around Thamrin City mall in Central Jakarta has become a source of lucrative illegal business for some people who have been charging illegal levies to drivers.
Each suspected extorter reportedly collected up to Rp 100,000 (US$7.2) in two hours from the illegal levies paid by truck, cargo and private vehicle drivers who passed or parked on Jl. Kebon Kacang in the vicinity of the mall, according to the Tanah Abang Police.
Recently, the police arrested up to eight people who had allegedly operated the illegal business for about one year.
“There are a lot of people involved, so they share the money they get from charging people. For two hours, three to four people work to charge the drivers. Each person in the group may get Rp 100,000,” Tanah Abang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Lukman Cahyono said on Monday as reported by kompas.com.
“They charge a levy of Rp 10,000 per vehicle, and a Rp 30,000 parking fee per vehicle,” he said.
Lukman said there might be more suspects in the case because the police were still questioning the arrested suspects to find out the mastermind of the operation.
“There might be more suspects and we are still investigating the case. We are trying to find out where and to whom the money goes,” he said.
Previously, on Friday and Saturday the police arrested NT, ES and AR for charging illegal levies to drivers on Jl. Kebong Kacang.
On Sunday, the police arrested five more suspects.
The suspects have been charged under Article 368 of the Criminal Code on extortion. (ami)
