Lumajang Farmers Difficult To Get Fertilizer, It Turns Out That 10 Tons Of Subsidized Fertilizers Are Smuggled Outside The Region

Lumajang Police Chief AKBP Boy Jeckson Situmorang (ANTARA)

Lumajang Police, East Java, thwarted the smuggling of 10 tons of subsidized fertilizer by arresting the perpetrator of a woman HN (54), a resident of Kalibendo Village who was suspected of being deviant in selling subsidized fertilizers.

"We secured truck number N 9126 UZ carrying 10 tons of subsidized fertilizer with urea and phonska types along with driver and buyer on Jalan Dusun Karanganyar, Kalibendo Village, Pasirian District recently," said Lumajang Police Chief AKBP Boy Jeckson Situmorang quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 18.

According to him, farmers complained to the local village head that it was difficult for them to get subsidized fertilizers and when looking at the level of agents and fertilizer kiosks, there was always no such thing, even though previously the distribution of shipments was always smooth.

"The suspect sells subsidized fertilizers outside his designation area and is not included in the Definitive Group Needs Plan (RDKK) so that it sells above the highest retail price (HET)," he said.

He explained that the suspect sold urea and phonska at a price of Rp. 150,000 per quintal, even though the HET of subsidized fertilizer was Rp. 112,500 per quintal for urea, while phonska fertilizer was Rp. 115,000 per quintal.

From the results of searches at the perpetrator's shop or kiosk, he said, officers secured several receipt documents, RDKK data, and data on the distribution of fertilizers from distributors to agents, then agents to farmers.

"We will develop whether there is falsification of documents or falsification of data, as if the fertilizer has been taken by farmers, even though in fact the farmer concerned has not been taken," he said.

Boy explained that the disclosure of the case of smuggling subsidized fertilizers was a real action by the Lumajang Police as an implementation of the National Police's firm commitment to individuals who abused subsidized fertilizers and suffered farmers.

The suspect was charged with Article 6 paragraph 1 letter (b) in conjunction with Article 1 to 3 (e) of the Emergency Law Number 7 of 1995 concerning Investigation, Prosecution and Judicial of Economic Crimes Sub-Article 21 in conjunction with Article 30 of the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 15/M-DAG/PER/4/2013 concerning the Procurement and Distribution of Subsidized Fertilizers for the Agricultural Sector with a penalty of 2 years in prison.

The evidence confiscated by the Lumajang Police, namely 1 Mitsubishi truck number N 9126 UZ, 5 tons of subsidized urea fertilizer, 5 tons of phonska type fertilizer, IDR 14 million in cash, several receipt documents, and RDKK data.