Indonesian authorities demolish luxury prison 'villas' where whisky, TVs seized

Indonesian authorities demolished luxury prison villas near Jakarta, where inmates paid rent for unique accommodations. These villas, complete with pool, gym, and alcohol, were seized after a raid by prison officers. Seized items included furniture, bottles of whisky, and at least one large-screen TV. The Indonesian ombudsman's office reported last week that inspectors found a cluster of well-furnished apartments within the Cibinong men's prison in Bogor, south of Jakarta.

Inmates allegedly paid rent for the accommodations, which featured couches, large beds, TVs, fridges, dining tables, and even a golf simulator under construction. A bamboo forest provided a pathway for prisoners to enter and exit the premises freely. The prison houses over 1,800 inmates, many times its capacity, and many were detained for various offenses, including violent and white-collar crimes.

The prison ministry stated that no state budget funds the structures, and there is no permit. Prison staff collected the belongings from the demolished villas before taking excavators to destroy the remaining 10 units. The prison's head and four other senior officials have been suspended pending further investigation.