Jokowi's Phone Call Was Responded To By The National Police Chief Sigit, A Total Of 49 Extortionists Were 'cleaned Up' In Tanjung Priok

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya said that it had arrested 49 people who often made illegal levies (extortion) in the North Jakarta area.

They were secured after a directive from the National Police Chief to follow up on President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) orders.

"What we have secured are 49 people with their respective roles and their respective groups", said the Head of Public Relations of the Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Yusri Yunus to reporters, Friday, June 11.

Based on the data collection, the dozens of offenders were dealt with by the North Jakarta Metro Police and the Tanjung Priok Port Police. Most of them are employees of PT Greeting Fortune Container (GFC) and PT Dwipa Kharisma Mitra Jakarta.

"There are 12 people, there are 16 people, and also the Cilincing and Tanjung Priok police have secured 6 and 8 people. Also, friends from the Tanjung Priok Port Police have secured 7 people", said Yusri.

Then, from the results of the examination, it was also known that the burglars asked the truck drivers for money in different amounts. Starting from IDR 2,000 to IDR 10,000 per truck.

In fact, this extortion practice has been going on for quite a long time. This is based on the truck drivers who give money without having to be asked by the perpetrators.

"If you say since when? It's been quite a while, people say they don't need to be asked, these drivers without being asked have already paid because it has become a culture," said Yusri.

On the other hand, Yusri emphasized that his party will coordinate with the company where the perpetrators work to discuss the practice of extortion. This is done to find a way to eliminate these naughty practices.

"That's why I said we will still be sitting together (the company), I have said this is still only on the surface. Are there other layers still there, are there still networks that control, telling them to do it because this is a congregation", said Yusri.

For their actions, the perpetrators were threatened with article 368 of the Criminal Code concerning acts of profiting themselves with a maximum threat of 9 years in prison.