Samarinda Police Reveals Illegal Herbal Medicine Case Worth IDR 837 Million

Piles of evidence of illegal traditional drugs were secured at the Samarinda Police Headquarters. (Antaranews Kaltim/Fandi)

Samarinda Police, East Kalimantan revealed a criminal case in the health sector involving a suspect with the initials MA, allegedly producing and distributing traditional drugs or herbal medicine without an illegal or distribution permit worth Rp. 837 million.

"We managed to secure the suspect along with evidence in the form of 72 illegal traditional drugs, Rp134 million in cash, one cellphone, and one motorbike," said Samarinda Police Chief Kombes Ary Fadli as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 11.

The police chief, who was accompanied by the Head of the Samarinda Sem Lapik POM Center, explained that the arrest of the suspect began with an intensification operation for monitoring traditional medicines and illegal health supplements and/or containing medicinal chemicals.

"This operation was carried out with the Samarinda POM Center on August 29, at the herbal medicine depot and the warehouse belonging to the suspect which is located at Jalan Untung Suropati, RT 25, Karang Asam Ulu Village, Sungai Kunjang District, Samarinda City," said Ary Fadli.

From the results of the police investigation, it was found that the traditional drug agent did not have business licensing.

"We confiscated a number of herbal medicines and these traditional drugs with an estimated economic value of Rp702 million," he explained.

He said that based on the confession of the suspect, the traditional medicine was sold partyly to buyers and also in retail through direct services for selling herbal medicine at the scene.

"We also found cash amounting to Rp134 million which is suspected to be the result of the illegal traditional drug distribution transaction. So the estimated total economic value in this facility is Rp. 837 million," he said.

The suspect was charged with article 197 in conjunction with article 106 paragraphs 1 and 2 of Law no. 36 of 2009 concerning Health as amended by Article 60 point 10 in conjunction with Article 60 point 4 of Law no. 6 of 2023 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulation Number 2 of 2022 into Law.

"Everyone who deliberately produces or distributes pharmaceutical preparations in the form of traditional medicines that do not have business licenses shall be punished with a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum fine of IDR 1.5 billion," said Ary Fadli.

He appealed to the public to be careful in taking traditional medicines and health supplements that do not have an official distribution permit from BPOM.

The police chief invites the public to report to the authorities if they find illegal traditional drug trafficking.

"I appreciate the cooperation between the POM Center in Samarinda and the Samarinda Police Satreskrim in uncovering this case," he explained.