JAKARTA: In a crackdown made by Jakarta police in case of street crime and other activities which were seen as disturbances of public order, 800 people were arrested involved in different crimes.
“Operation Thuggery” was held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., netting a total of 809 offenders, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said on Thursday.
“We seized the following pieces of evidence: 435 bottles of hard liquor, 100 grams of marijuana, Rp 4,881,000 [$392] in cash, three sharp weapons, playing cards, five unmarked pills, nine guitars, one violin and a motorcycle,” Martinus said.
The hundreds of “thugs” apprehended would be registered, the police spokesman explained, and charges would be filed if they were proven to have committed a crime.
“If they didn’t do anything wrong, we will give them guidance,” Martinus said.
During the operation, one officer was beaten by a suspect identified as Albert, in the Tanah Abang area of Central Jakarta, police said. The man allegedly tried to get people to hamper the police operation but ultimately was arrested.
Last weekend, 625 people were arrested in a similar Jakarta-wide operation against street crime. Guns, sharp weapons, drugs and liquor were confiscated during the operation, which lasted from 9 p.m. on Saturday until 2:15 a.m. on Sunday.
The police operations seem to be aimed at activities on the streets widely seen by Jakartans as a public nuisance. Such activities range from robbery and extortion to public intoxication and pickpocketing, but also include begging and playing music on public transportation, which on rare occasions can take the form of more or less aggressive panhandling.
