Confiscated 18,309 Illegal Products, BPOM Bengkulu Reminds Checks For Authenticity Of Goods Can Be Done On The BPOM Mobile Application

Officers show illegal cosmetic products at the BBPOM Office. (Antara/Jessica HW)

BENGKULU - The Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (BPOM) of Bengkulu Province confiscated various kinds of illegal products in its area which was estimated at IDR 83.3 million.

The head of BPOM Bengkulu, Yogi Abaso Mataram, said the products were 18,309 items. He said the confiscation was carried out by his party through an operation that lasted from January to July.

"The products we confiscated were products that did not have a distribution permit from BPOM," said Yogi in Bengkulu Province, Thursday, July 14.

He explained that his party would continue to eradicate the circulation of illegal goods without a distribution permit (TIE) in Bengkulu.

Because every year, he said, BPOM Bengkulu confiscates various types of products such as illegal food, medicine, and cosmetics.

"We hope that there will be support and participation from the community, so that the circulation of illegal goods can be secured," he said, according to Antara.

He said the public can always check packaging, labels, distribution permits, and expiration (Click Checks) before buying a drug, cosmetic, and food product.

As well as ensuring that the product packaging purchased is intact, undamaged, and accompanied by a label with complete information that includes the distribution permit number and expiration date.

Yogi added that the public can check the distribution permit data for drug and food products easily through the BPOM Mobile application which can be downloaded for free using a smartphone.

However, for food products that do not have packaging, they do not have to have a permit from BPOM, but it is necessary to pay attention to the hygiene of the product.

Furthermore, Yogi explained the details of the products confiscated by BPOM Bengkulu from areas in Bengkulu Province, namely illegal drugs as many as 14,881 products which were estimated at around IDR 24.1 million.

Then there are 883 cosmetic products with a price of IDR 16.6 million, 1,261 traditional medicines with a price of IDR 21.4 million and 1,284 food products with a price of IDR 21.1 million.