South Kalimantan Police Name 2 Suspects Of Hoarding Medical Waste

Medical waste is transported using containers which are then sent to Bekasi for destruction, Friday. (ANTARA/Gunawan Wibisono)

The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the South Kalimantan Police has named two suspects in the alleged hoarding of hazardous and toxic medical waste (B3) on Jalan A Yani KM 11,700, Kertak Hanyar District, Banjar Regency.

There are two perpetrators and two suspects with the initials R and Y. They are employees of a B3 waste management or transporter company.

Head of Public Relations of the South Kalimantan Police, Kombes Adam Erwindi in Banjar, Monday, said the medical waste should have been sent to Bekasi for destruction.

However, instead of being sent by the two suspects, the B3 medical waste was actually hoarding in residential areas in swamps which were then covered with soil.

"Currently we are dismantling evidence of B3 medical waste. There are 322 boxes of cardboard and plastic containing medical waste that we managed to collect from that location," he said through the Head of Pensat Sub-Directorate for Public Relations of the South Kalimantan Police, AKP Catur Widiyanto, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 23.

This case stems from a raid carried out by the South Kalimantan Police Ditreskrimsus at the location of the hoarding some time ago. The raid at that time was led directly by Inspector General Pol Winarto while still serving as South Kalimantan Police Chief.

The medical waste, which is thought to have come from various hospitals in South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, was found buried in residential areas, Jalan Tatah Cina, the Modern Pesona Complex, RT 01 RW 01.

"The land used as a waste hoarding site belongs to one of the suspects," added AKP Catur.

In dismantling the buried medical waste, the South Kalimantan Police Ditreskrimsus Team used heavy equipment in the form of excavators.

The waste was then transported using containers to a warehouse in Lik Complex, Landasan Ulin Selatan Village, Liang Anggang District, Banjarbaru City.

"We will then send the B3 medical waste to Bekasi for destruction," he concluded.

The demolition of this evidence was also attended by representatives from the South Kalimantan High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati Kalsel) and the South Kalimantan Environment Agency (DLH).