Syndicate Of Fake Antigen Letter Sellers In Banyuwangi Sentenced To Jail

Police DOC

BANYUWANGI - Three syndicates selling fake antigen letters in Banyuwangi, East Java, were found guilty by the panel of judges. In the trial at the Banyuwangi District Court, the three defendants were sentenced to different sentences.

Sodik (34) a resident of Lumajang, a travel driver who also acts as an orderer of fake rapid antigen letters for his customers, was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison. Agus Farid (29), a resident of Kalipuro, Banyuwangi, as a broker or contact person, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

Denis Nur Efendi (30), a resident of Glagah, Banyuwangi, played a role in printing fake antigen letters and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Previously, the public prosecutor, Edrus, demanded a heavier sentence for the three. Sodik was sentenced to 2 years in prison, Agus was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months and Denis was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

The leniency of the sentence was because the judge considered this crime to be the first committed by the three defendants. The three defendants have never served a sentence. The three of them are also the backbone of the family.

"The three were found guilty in accordance with the articles suspected by the Prosecutor, namely Article 268 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 56 to 2 of the Criminal Code," said Panel of Judges Luluk Winarko, Wednesday, January 5.

Luluk said that the three of them had been proven legally and convincingly guilty of committing the crime of making fake health certificates. And one of the defendants has also assisted in committing the crime.

"Therefore, the three were sentenced according to their respective roles and the prosecutor's demands. The sentences handed down will be reduced by the sentences that have been served by the defendants," he said.

For previous information, the police managed to dismantle a syndicate selling fake rapid antigen letters, last Wednesday, September 2, 2021. Three people were arrested and named as suspects.

They have sold fake antigen rapid test results certificates to 48 travelers traveling to Bali. The lure of issuing a rapid antigen letter without having to go through a medical procedure. To manipulate the perpetrators, they were desperate to put a logo from one of the clinics in the local district.

The fake rapid antigen letter was discovered after the port officer scanned the letter's barcode, which turned out to be incapable of being read by the system.