Central Kalimantan Police Seize 12 Tons Of Illegal Bombing Onions From Australia

The Head of Public Relations of the Central Kalimantan Police, Kombes Erlan Munaji (central), explained the disclosure of illegal onions and arrested one suspect, Tuesday (23/7/2024). ANTARA/Adi Wibowo

PALANGKA RAYA - The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the Central Kalimantan Police confiscated 12 tons of illegal onions or without documents originating from Australia.

The Head of Public Relations of the Central Kalimantan Police, Kombes Erlan Munaji, said that the onions imported without documents were confiscated from the hands of a man with the initials R alias M (23) who is now languishing in the local Police Headquarters.

"The person concerned was only arrested as a driver for transporting plants in the form of imported onions without being equipped with an import permit or a health certificate from the country of origin, namely Australia and is planned to be delivered to South Kalimantan," said Erlan Munaji as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 23.

The arrests made by the Ditreskrimsus team Sub-Directorate Indag Polda Kalteng on Jalan Tjilik Riwut Km 10.5 Petuk Katimpun Village, Jekan Raya District on Thursday (18/7).

From the disclosure, the police also confiscated a truck carrying 400 sacks of onions with the Harvest Fresh brand weighing 20 kilograms per sack and 27 sacks of onions with the Apollo Onion brand weighing 15 kilograms per sack.

"If totaled totaling 12 tons and considered hundreds of millions of rupiah," he said.

He revealed that the truck driver carrying 12 tons of onions has now also been named a suspect and is languishing in the Central Kalimantan Police Headquarters Detention Center.

In addition to determining the person concerned as a suspect, investigators also imposed Articles 86 letters a, b, and c in conjunction with Article 33 paragraph (1) letters a, b, and c of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine.

"From the alleged article, he is subject to a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of ten billion rupiah," he explained.

Meanwhile, at the same location, Head of Sub-Directorate for Indagsi Ditreskrimsus AKBP Eddy Santoso added that the case was still under his development. Including the order and how long the illegal activity has been carried out by the suspect.

"Regarding the length of development. Even who ordered the illegal goods. If the suspect is only a transporter, even the person concerned does not know who the buyer or buyer of the goods came from South Kalimantan," said Eddy Santoso.