inp.polri.go.id - Semarang. The Central Java Regional Police have arrested four members of a gang of extortionists who claimed to be journalists and operated across provinces.

The Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Central Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Dwi Subagio, said in Semarang on Friday that the gang of extortionists operated in various provinces on the island of Java, claiming to be journalists to threaten their victims.

"They have been operating since 2020 in various major cities on the island of Java," he said.

The extortionists who claimed to be journalists stalked their victims and then asked for money if they did not want to be reported in their mass media.

He said four perpetrators were arrested based on the victim's report of an extortion case. The gang was arrested at a rest area on the Boyolali Toll Road several days ago.

"The group consisted of seven people, four perpetrators have been arrested," said Subagio.

The four extortionists who have been arrested are HMG (33), AMS (26), KS (25), and IH (30), all of whom are from Bekasi, West Java.

Currently, the police are still investigating the existence of the extortion network with up to 175 members.

"From the examination of the perpetrator's cell phone, it is known that there is a large network with a similar mode," said Dwi Subagio.

For their actions, the perpetrators were charged with Article 368 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) concerning extortion.

(ad/inp/pr/nm)