The police named three more suspects in the cases after a civil servant identified by the initials NS from the Discapilduk Bitung and a middleman identified as DL were previously named suspects. They are DA and KA, secretaries at the Aertembaga Bitung district office, and AS, the head of the government administration division at the office.  

Arrested two weeks ago, NS and DL are being detained at the North Sulawesi Police headquarters. During questioning, NS claimed the involvement of Discapilduk Bitung officials and business owners in ID forgery and illegal fee practices. It was NS' testimony that had led to the arrest of the three new suspects.

A source who wished to remain anonymous said the two civil servants worked with NS and DL to issue fake IDs for  foreigners working in fishing companies in Bitung, at a rate of between Rp 500,000 (US$38.31) and Rp 2 million.  

“It is hoped that with the North Sulawesi Police’s follow up investigation, there is a thorough solution to the illegal possession of Bitung IDs by foreigners working in the regency.”

Adj.Sr.Comr. Janry Makaminang of the police’s general crimes investigation directorate said on Monday that the search conducted by his team at the Discapilduk Bitung office was in line with existing procedures.

“We conducted a search, during which we confiscated several pieces of evidence, based on a permit from the Bitung District Court, following our previous investigation and arrest of two suspects,” he said, adding it was probable that the police would name several more suspects in their follow up investigation. (ebf)

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