Jakarta. The police have denied allegations made by foreign tourists, who claimed they were forced to undergo urine tests and extorted during the 2024 Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta last week.

Central Jakarta Metro Police Narcotics Unit Head, Jamalinus Nababan, said that the police’s role at the event was solely to ensure security. “As far as we know, there was no incident like that, where people were detained, extorted, or forced to take urine tests,” Jamalinus told reporters on Thursday.

However, he added that he would investigate whether any officers assigned to the event had been involved in such actions. “We are checking with our personnel to see if there were any such incidents,” he said.

The police deployed 450 officers to secure Indonesia's largest electronic music festival, held from Dec. 13-15 at JIExpo Kemayoran.

The allegations, which have caused an uproar on social media, involve accusations of undercover police officers targeting foreign tourists, detaining them, and demanding bribes ranging from RM 90,000 (around $20,000) to RM 200,000—even from those who had passed drug tests.

In response to the controversy, Ismaya Live, the event organizer, issued a statement expressing regret. "We hear your concerns and deeply regret the challenges and frustrations you experienced. While certain aspects were beyond our direct control, we fully understand the impact this has had on you,” the statement read on the official DWP Instagram account.

The organizers assured festival-goers that they are working with authorities to investigate the claims and implement measures to prevent such incidents in future events.

DWP, first held in 2008, has become one of Indonesia’s most anticipated music events, drawing thousands of EDM fans annually. The 2024 festival featured world-renowned DJs, including Anyma, Armin Van Buuren, Steve Aoki, Timmy Trumpet, and Zedd. Ismaya said the event was attended by 10,000 people from 52 countries.