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joint force of the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) patrolled in areas notorious for hosting illegal street races late on Saturday, but the streets had been deserted.

Six hundred and forty three personnel took part in the patrol, which was held following reports of increasing numbers of traffic violations involving motorcycle gangs that created a disturbance for other street users.

'The operation ran well last night and there were no street races seen by officers put in areas prone to races. The officers just netted 13 motorbikes that lacked documents,' Jakarta police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Sunday.

Jakarta Police Traffic Directorate chief of operations, Adj. Sr. Comr. Budiyanto, said that some areas of main concern in the operation were Jl. Taman Mini and Jl. Pramuka in East Jakarta, Kemayoran, Jl. Asia Afrika, Jl. Suryopranoto, Jl. Cideng and Jl. KH Mansur in Central Jakarta and Jl. TB Simatupang in South Jakarta.

Last week, a Kompas TV journalist was assaulted by three men on motorbikes, who were reportedly members of a gang, when he drove past them on his motorcycle in Pademangan, North Jakarta. The men pursued and assaulted him.

Rikwanto said that many young motorcyclists committed crimes during street races.

'During a street race or street show, they get offended when other street users pass among the crowd in the street. Finally, they end up assaulting them,' Rikwanto said.

Meanwhile, in a separate street operation in Depok, West Java, police officers netted 66 thugs and street racers on Saturday night. Six out of the 66 people arrested were named suspects.

'We have named as suspects those who brought marijuana and sharp weapons like sickles,' Depok Police operational desk head, Comr. Suratno, said as quoted by tempo.co.

Suratno said that the operation was conducted in places prone to street races and crime in Depok like Jl. Juanda, Margonda, Grand Depok City and Jl. Raya Bogor.

'We combed all the areas to make sure that there were no races or crime taking place,' he said.

The Depok police office deployed around 60 personnel in the operation, while each police precinct deployed 25 police officers.

'Each police precinct chief acted as the head of the operation in their areas,' he said. (hrl)