Jakarta (ANTARA) - The cyber team of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) is currently conducting investigations into 130,680 hoaxes related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Brigadier General Darmawan Sutawijaya stated.

"Of the total 137,829 hoaxes related to COVID-19, some 130,680 are being investigated. A total of 17 suspects have been arrested, and 87 are being processed under the law. They include 66 men and 38 women," Sutawijaya, a member of the Security and Law Enforcement Subdivision of Indonesia's Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Response, stated here on Monday.

In connection with cyber violation being committed, the National Police also conducted investigation into 75,755 general criminal cases related to COVID-19.

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In connection with economic crimes, the National Police investigated 151,003 cases of hoarding of goods and 161,077 cases of violations in the trade of food and medical equipment.

The police also handled cases of violations of the government's homecoming ("mudik") ban. Travelers that violated the ban used private vehicles and did not ply on the main roads, he revealed.

To break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, the Joko Widodo administration has imposed a ban on Indonesian Eid al-Fitr holiday revelers from returning to their hometowns and instructed them to stay put where they were.

"Some 637 vehicles faced police action taken by their officers. In addition, 109,479 vehicles were urged to turn around," he remarked.

The Eid al-Fitr holidays fell on May 24-25, 2020.

To implement the "mudik" ban, the National Police established checkpoints in the areas of Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, and East Java.

"A total of 524 checkpoints were set up in the Jakarta area, while 2,374 checkpoints were established in West Java, Central Java and East Java," he added.

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Translator: Dewanto Samodro, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati
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