Jakarta – Police have raided bootleg liquor production sites in Cipondoh and Pondok Aren and destroyed more than 5,500 bottles, after two more people in South Tangerang died after consuming tainted beverages.
A. Rohman and Ade Firmansyah died after drinking liquor last Saturday and Sunday. "They were security guards in Ciputat," Ciputat Police chief Comr. Donni Bagus Wibisono said in a written statement on Friday.
Police arrested a man identified as Rony Mulia Rajagukguk, who allegedly sold the bootleg liquor to the two victims. Their deaths bring the total number of fatalities in the bootleg liquor crisis to 33 in Greater Jakarta.
The South Tangerang Police also said that they arrested on Wednesday the alleged owner of bootleg liquor brewery Limanto, his employees Kuswoyo and Hermanto as well as his distributor, Iwan. They are charged under Article 197 of Law No. 36/2009 on health, Article 136 of Law No. 18/2012 on food and Article 204 of the Criminal Code (KUHP), which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
A total of 5,569 bottles of bootleg liquor readied for distribution were destroyed on Friday.
Earlier, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Iqbal revealed the possibility of charging suspects related to bootleg liquor distribution with premeditated murder, which carries a maximum penalty of death. (ami)