New Yorker Arrested After Uploading Vacation Photos In Hawaii

JAKARTA - A tourist from New York was arrested by the authorities after being caught wandering in Hawaii through his photo upload on Instagram. He was found guilty of violating the mandatory 14-day self-isolation regulations when he entered Hawaii during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an official statement from the Office of the Governor of Hawaii quoted by CNN, the 23-year-old man was arrested for violating the 14-day quarantine regulations before entering Hawaii and falsifying the authorities.

According to the statement, it is known that the suspect arrived at O'ahu on Monday, May 11. Without thinking, he uploaded many photos of himself on the beach via Instagram right then and there. He allegedly used public transportation to get to the many places he exhibited in the post.

"The authorities learned of his post when many netizens learned of his post on the beach carrying surfboards, sunbathing and walking around Waikiki at night," a statement said. Meanwhile, the suspect's information is not yet known.

It is known, the Hawaiian authorities recorded that until now there had been 638 cases of the new corona virus with 17 deaths. Therefore, the country requires tourists to self-quarantine for 14 days without leaving their homes to reduce the spread of the virus.

In addition, migrants are also required to fill out a statement agreeing that violating quarantine is a criminal offense punishable by a fine of US $ 5,000 and up to one year in prison.

The country has extended its mandatory quarantine until the end of June, Governor David Ige said in an interview with reporters. During the implementation of the regulation, many migrants have been arrested for breaking the rules, including newly married couples on their honeymoon.

"We are, like the United States, still facing the challenges of this pandemic," Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell told CNN. "But now, we see traveling as a spread of the virus, and we prefer people not to come until things are safe," he concluded.