South Sumatra Police Denies Extortion Of Ship Captains In Banyuasin Waters

PALEMBANG - South Sumatra Police (Sumsel) denied any illegal levy activity against the ship's captain who passed the Sandar Base, Simpang PU Waters in Bunga Karang Village, Banyuasin Regency.

The information that states illegal levies that allegedly involve personnel from the South Sumatra Police and Air Directorate was obtained through amateur videos circulating on various social media channels on Monday (8/5).

"So we can convey that the viral information regarding the alleged extortion involving police officers is not true at all," said Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police, Kombes Supriadi, in Palembang, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 10.

According to Supriadi, this certainty was obtained based on the results of the team investigation formed by the Directorate of Water and Air Police (Ditpolairud) of the South Sumatra Police.

Where, all police personnel in charge of guarding the Sandar Base of Simpang PU Waters were examined in the investigation.

"Including the Banyuasin Transportation Service personnel who served there, they have also been examined and questioned to confirm that the alleged extortion was not true," he said.

He explained that in the video, the curation of the images and writings with a duration of less than one minute contained the confession of a captain of a passenger transport engine ship and an item with the initials RS.

RS, admitted that he was visited by officers on duty at the Sandar Simpang PU Base and asked for money worth Rp. 10 thousand- Rp. 20,000, the reason being as money to enter once or lean in the area.

However, he mentioned the facts obtained, not so that police personnel actually provide services to the community and convey appeals about sailing safety, check ship navigation tools along with cargo and promote the dangers of crocodile wild animals that are widely found in the waters of Simpang PU.

Likewise, the personnel of the Transportation Service did not ask the ship's captain for anything. This was stated directly by the Head of the Banyuasin Transportation Service Post, Eko Prasetya, all the socialization (which he did) in accordance with Banyuasin Regent Regulation Number 8 of 2021," he said.

The Regional Police appealed to people who are active as social media activists to prioritize the appreciation of information content that is to be broadcast to cyberspace so that no one feels disadvantaged.