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Central Java Police arrest hundreds in street crime crackdown
Central Java Police Deputy Chief Brig. Gen. Usman Latief said authorities arrested 888 men and 28 women during a province-wide operation from May 12 to 31, targeting gangs, rogue mass organizations and street crime.
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Suspected street criminals sit before a police officer at the Central Java Police headquarters on May 3. A total of 916 people were arrested during a province-wide operation targeting gangs, rogue mass organizations and street crime, conducted from May 12 to 31. (JP/Suherdjoko)
T
he Central Java Police have arrested nearly a thousand suspects in a sweeping crackdown on street crime, amid nationwide effort to combat racketeering and extortion that business leaders warn are undermining Indonesia’s economic climate.
Central Java Police Deputy Chief Brig. Gen. Usman Latief said authorities arrested 888 men and 28 women during a province-wide operation from May 12 to 31, targeting gangs, rogue mass organizations and street crime.
“They were linked to 711 cases, including vandalism, fraud, extortion and street brawls,” he said on Tuesday.
“We are continuing investigations into 276 of those cases, and the suspects will remain in custody pending legal proceedings. The rest of the suspects will not face prosecution and will instead undergo a rehabilitation program before being released.”
Among those arrested in the province-wide operation was the head of the Pemuda Pancasila (PP) youth organization in Blora Regency, identified only as MJ. He was detained for allegedly defrauding a local business owner.
MJ and an accomplice allegedly posed as representatives of a company that claimed it could supply discounted diesel fuel. In reality, the company had already shut down. The victim reportedly paid Rp 333 million for the fuel.
The suspects have now been charged under Articles 378 and 372 of the Criminal Code for fraud and embezzlement. If found guilty, they each face up to four years in prison.
