JABAR EKSPRES – The Clean Sweep of Illegal Levies (Saber Pungli) team of Sukabumi Police, West Java, arrested 10 extortionists against tourists in the UNESCO Global Geopark Ciletuh Palabuhan Ratu (UGGCP) tourist area of Sukabumi Regency, Tuesday (25/4).
“We arrested the extortionists in several different locations. From the hands of the perpetrators, millions of rupiah worth of extortion money was confiscated,” said Sukabumi District Saber Pungli Chairman, Kompol Septa Firmansyah, in Sukabumi.
Septa said that at the Palampang Beach location, his party arrested the perpetrators with the initials U, US, and D with evidence of Rp4,498,000 in extortion money, at the Curug Marinjung location, three extortionists were arrested with the initials R, S, and RU with evidence of Rp780.000.
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Then, on Jalan Raya Gunungsumping, officers arrested four extortionists with the initials A, D, DE, and I. The perpetrators are currently being questioned and given guidance by the Sukabumi District Yustisi Working Group.
The mode of extortion by the perpetrators is by asking for a sum of money to tourists on the grounds of security, cleanliness, and parking, some even ask for money to tourists who pass through the rat route to tourist attractions.
The arrest of 10 extortionists, he said, is a form of police commitment to provide a sense of security and comfort to tourists on vacation spending time off and joint leave for Lebaran 2023. In fact, if something happens to tourists, these perpetrators do not provide assistance.
He said the information was that the money from the extortion would be used for personal and group interests. Their action had no orders from anyone, but their group initiative by taking advantage of the influx of tourists who came to various UGGCP tourist attractions.
“The police did not detain the extortionists, but only limited to being recorded and given guidance. But if they are caught again doing similar actions, then the police will not hesitate to throw them into prison and process them legally,” he explained.
