DENPASAR ~ As thousands of Muslims left Bali this week to mark the end-of-fasting Lebaran celebrations that get underway this weekend, police here said they had beefed up security across the island, particularly at seaports.

Bali Police chief Paulus Purwoko said some 2,200 officers would be stationed at 22 security posts between Denpasar and Gilimanuk and Denpasar and Padang Bai.

Purwoko said a command center had been set up in Denpasar as the main control post.

“Everything that happens in Gilimanuk and Padang Bai can be observed from the command center at Bali Police Headquarters, 24 hours a day,” he said.

He said 23 security cameras had been installed at the ports.

“I have proposed that the Bali government install 1,000 security cameras all over Bali. But what we have right now will have to do,” he said.

Purwoko said that in 2006, “Operation Ketupat,” as the annual security measure is called, recorded 65 traffic incidents and 1,382 violations.

“Before the operation, there were 2,532 violations.”