Minister Of Trade Zulhas Destroys Illegal Used Clothes Worth Rp9 Billion, Total 750 Bal

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan destroyed hundreds of bales of illegal used clothes from neighboring countries.

The clothes are destroyed because they are contaminated with fungi that can interfere with health. The potential loss reaches Rp. 9 billion.

The man who is familiarly called Zulhas added that this action came from public reports.

Then it was followed up by cooperating with the Customs and Excise Ministry of Finance, and the National Police.

"Well, this is a lot of 750 bales, roughly if this used one might be worth IDR 8-9 billion. It could be these three container trucks,” he said in the Karawang Warehousing Area, West Java, Friday, August 12.

Zulhas said hundreds of bales of these illegally imported used clothes entered the country through the border in Tatakan, North Kalimantan, and were distributed to Java.

However, unfortunately Zulhas was reluctant to reveal the country of origin of the imported used clothes.

“So, the rats came in from a neighboring country. This is a rat's path, it enters from Tarakan. Not from Priok, but the market is still from Java," he said.

Still, Zulhas said, these illegally imported used clothes are very dangerous for health because they contain mold.

In addition, it can also damage the domestic industry because the goods are sold at low prices.

Therefore, Zulhas invites the public to be pro-active by making reports if they find players of illegally imported used clothes.

In addition, the Ministry of Trade will also educate the public not to buy illegally imported used clothes.

"We will continue to encourage actions from the Ministry of illegal goods that are not allowed, but we will also educate the public so as not to use secondhand goods that come from abroad," he said.