INFOKU, BLORA -The police are starting to investigate allegations of illegal levies (extortion) for buying and selling kiosks at Randublatung Market, Blora, Central Java.
Head of the Blora Police Criminal Investigation Unit (Kasatreskrim) AKP Setiyanto said he had collected a number of data to investigate the alleged crime.
"We have investigated the alleged extortion at the Kobong Market, Wulung Village, Randublatung sub-district, Blora district," said Setiyanto at the Randublatung Market, Wednesday (26/1/2022).
The market has about 99 stalls. Every trader who wants to have a kiosk is required to pay around Rp. 45 million to Rp. 50 million rupiah.
"We carried out an investigation related to 55 kiosks which are currently still in the installment process, then we have secured some evidence, namely a photocopy of a down payment or down payment, then installments and the identity of the shop owner," he explained.
The money from the traders is then deposited to the market treasurer.
However, there are also unscrupulous government employees who come to the traders to make up for the shortfall.
"One of the employees with the initials K received this installment, and this was not deposited with the treasurer. We will review the flow of these funds," he explained.
Setiyanto said that the alleged existence of extortion in the sale and purchase of kiosks at the market had occurred since 2019 after the market was completed.
"Nominally, we are still conducting inspections, but we estimate hundreds of millions of rupiah in losses caused by buying and selling market stalls," he said.
One of the traders, Supriyono (65) said that he had paid a down payment and installments of a total of Rp. 22,500,000 in order to have a kiosk in the market.
He also admitted that he was surprised when the market manager invited a meeting to determine the price per stall in the market.
"It should be free, but instead have to pay Rp 50 million," he said when met by reporters .
Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Blora Regency Cooperative and SME Trade Office, Luluk Kusuma Agung Ariadi, has not confirmed the alleged sale and purchase of kiosks in the market. (Endah/ IST )
