Police Arrest Dozens Of Extortion Perpetrators Of Garbage Truck Drivers At TPSA Mekarsari

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of Cianjur Police, West Java, AKP Tono Listianto.(ANTARA/Ahmad Fikri).

The Cianjur Police, West Java, arrested 19 perpetrators of illegal levies (extortion) that disturbed garbage truck drivers who entered the Mekarsari Final Waste Disposal Site (TPSA) in Cikalongkulon District which had been operating since March 1.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Cianjur Police, AKP Tono Listianto, said that several of the perpetrators who were arrested were members of mass organizations and local residents forced garbage transport drivers to pay a sum of money every time they entered the TPSA location.

"We immediately made arrests after receiving reports from the large number of people, especially drivers who complained and were worried about the existence of extortionists at the Mekarsari TPSA location who only operated a few days ago," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, March 8.

His party immediately conducted an investigation and sent members to the location and arrested dozens of extortionists along the route to the Mekarsari TPAS, they were secured from four different points, one of which often acts near the entrance to the TPAS.

The results of the investigation of the perpetrators consisted of individuals and groups on behalf of one of the sub-district-level mass organizations, so that the perpetrators were detained at the Cianjur Police Headquarters and underwent further examination.

"We are still investigating the case whether anyone is coordinating or not, while waiting for the victim to officially report so that the perpetrator can be subject to criminal sanctions, we ask victims who feel restless with extortion can report officially," he said.

Meanwhile, residents, especially drivers who transport garbage to Mekarsari TPSA in Cikalongkulon District, complained about the rampant extortion by a group of people along the route to TPAS, they were forced to give because they did not want problems.

The perpetrator, wearing the clothes of the mass organization, asked the driver of the pickup truck or small vehicle to pay Rp. 20 thousand once, while the truck in large size asked to pay Rp. 30 thousand to Rp. 40 thousand every time it passed.

"We do not want to argue that we are forced to pay Rp. 20,000 while crossing the route to TPSA Mekarsari, while those who carry large trucks are asked to pay up to Rp. 40,000, we hope that there will be no more extortionists on the road to TPSA," said the waste manager in Karangtengah District, IS (36).