The National Police's Food Task Force Increases Oplosan Rice Cases To Investigation, 201 Tons Confiscated

Rice (photo: Doc Antara)

The National Police's Food Task Force (Satgas) revealed the practice of fraud in the production and distribution of premium rice by a number of producers. From the results of the investigation, three manufacturers were proven to have packaged and labeled rice that did not comply with quality standards.

The Director of Special Economic Crimes (Dirtipideksus) as well as the Head of the National Police Food Task Force, Brigadier General Pol Helfi Assegaf said that the three producers of the five premium rice brands that did not comply with these standards were PT PIM, PT FS, and Toko SY.

"Conducting an examination of three manufacturers with details, namely PT PIM brand Sania; PT FS brand Sentra Ramos Merah, Sentra Ramos Biru, and Sentra Pulen; as well as the SY Store with the brand Jelita and Twins," explained Helfi in a press statement, quoted from an online broadcast, Thursday, July 24.

The series of investigations have ended, the National Police's Food Task Force has decided to raise the status of this mixed rice case to an investigation.

"Based on the results of the investigation, it has been found that there are allegations of criminal incidents so that from the results of our case title the status of our investigation, we will increase it to an investigation," continued Helfi.

In addition, the Police also confiscated a number of premium rice evidence which was allegedly not in accordance with quality standards with a total of 201 tons. "As of this morning, the evidence that we have confiscated is total rice 201 tons, with details of packaging 5 kilograms of various premium rice brands as much as 39,036 pieces, packages of 2.5 kilograms of various premium rice brands as much as 2,304 pieces," said Helfi.

Various supporting documents and activities, namely production documents, maintenance results documents, company legality, distribution permit documents, brand certificates, standard operating procedures for controlling process mismatch products were also secured.

Sanctions For Consumer Protection And Money Laundering Are Subjected To Criminal Sanctions

Helfi said, based on the investigation case, this rice producer will be subject to sanctions from the Consumer Protection Law and the Money Laundering Crime Law (TPPU).

"From the results of our investigation, for the time being, the articles we suspect on the case are criminal acts of consumer protection or money laundering by trading rice products that do not comply with quality standards on packaging labels," he said.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman had submitted evidence of 212 rice brands that were allegedly not in accordance with quality standards (oplosan), especially for the premium type to the National Police Food Task Force and the Attorney General's Office. The consumer and state losses to this case are estimated at IDR 99 trillion.