JAKARTA - Director of Special Economic Crimes (Dirtipideksus) as well as Chairman of the National Police Food Task Force, Brigadier General Helfi Assegaf said rice producers who are proven to have mixed or not according to quality standards will be subject to criminal sanctions for consumer protection and money laundering (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 in a press statement, Thursday, July 24.
"As referred to in Article 62 in conjunction with Article 8 paragraph 1 letter (a) and (f) Law Number 8 of 99 concerning Consumer Protection which reads not in accordance with the promise stated with the label, e-ticket, information, advertisement or promotion of the sale of goods or services. And/or Article 3, Article 4, Article 5 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of the Crime of Money Laundering," continued Helfi.
Helfi emphasized that rice producers who are found guilty will be caught in a bui sentence and fines according to the articles imposed by the Consumer Protection and Money Laundering Law.
"The threat of a sentence of Article 62 of the Consumer Protection Law is imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum of Rp. 2 billion. For the threat of money laundering, 20 years imprisonment and a fine of Rp. 10 billion," he said.
The National Police's Food Task Force has uncovered fraudulent practices in the production and distribution of premium rice that do not meet quality standards. From the results of the interim investigation, it was found that three manufacturers were involved in the packaging of five premium rice brands that allegedly did not meet the label and quality provisions.
Helfi said that investigators had made forced efforts in the form of searches, sealing of the status quo, and confiscation of evidence at a number of locations where production, warehouses, offices, and distribution points were produced.
"The search locations for the search for documents include the offices and warehouses of PT FS in East Jakarta, the warehouses of PT FS in Subang, West Java, the offices and warehouses of PT PIM in Serang and Banten, as well as the Cipinang Rice Main Market in East Jakarta," he said.
Investigators found that the modus operandi of the perpetrators was to produce premium rice using modern and traditional machines, then package them with trademarks that did not comply with quality standards as stated on the label.
The three manufacturers that are being investigated are PT PIM with the Sania brand; PT FS with the brand Sentra Ramos Merah, Sentra Ramos Biru, and Sentra Pulen; and Toko SY with the brand Jelita and Anak Kembar.
"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, our investigation status will be upgraded to an investigation," said Helfi.
Along with the increase in status, investigators examined 14 witnesses, including experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and consumer protection experts.
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The Special Team of the National Police Laboratory was also involved in tracing digital traces, as well as coordinating with sample takers from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The evidence was then tested in a laborative manner by the Center for Instrument Standard Testing after the Agricultural Harvest.
"As of this morning, the total confiscated evidence reached 201 tons of rice. In detail, the packaging of 5 kilograms of various premium rice brands was 39,036 pieces and 2,304 pieces of 2.5 kilograms were packaged," said Helfi.
Investigators also confiscated various important documents such as production results, maintenance records, company legality documents, distribution permits, brand certificates, to standard operating procedures related to product quality control.
The Food Task Force stated that the investigation is still ongoing and does not rule out the possibility of other manufacturers or brands being investigated in this case.
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