First Group Arrested For Selling COVID-19 Free Certificates

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - COVID-19-free letters that are used as a condition for traveling outside the city are widely traded on social media. However, most of the letters offered are invalid because they are fake.

One of the acts of forgery and trading of COVID-19 free letters occurred in Gilimanuk, Bali. In this case, four people with the initials, WD, IA, RN, and PE were named suspects.

They are proven to have made and sold COVID-19 free letters to people who want to enter or leave the island of the Gods.

Head of Public Relations of the Bali Police, Kombes Syamsi, said the perpetrators had different roles in this case. For WD and PE is the figure who makes the letter blank. From the results of the examination, they claimed to have received the blanks accidentally and made copies.

"WD admits getting a health certificate by collecting it in front of the Gilimanuk minimarket and reproducing it by photocopying it with PE," said Syamsi in his statement, Friday, May 15.

Meanwhile, IA and RN act as sellers of COVID-19 free letters. For a letter, they charge around Rp. 100,000. Their profits were enormous. This is because they only buy one blank for Rp. 25 thousand.

In connection with the arrest of the perpetrators, continued Syamsi, the three joint officers on guard at Gilimanuk port were suspicious of a COVID-19 free letter that was shown by a passenger, on Tuesday, May 12.

Then, the police officer examined it and got a statement if the letter was purchased from someone. Direct investigations are carried out by looking for other information.

Two days later, on Thursday, May 14, the police found information about the identity of the perpetrators. So, they immediately caught them in their respective homes.

"After conducting an investigation and obtaining information from witnesses that the selling of the health certificate which was suspected of being fake were the perpetrators, and then the perpetrators were secured in their respective homes," said Syamsi.

From the residences of several perpetrators, a number of evidences in the form of 2 health certificates and 1 printer L 210 were also secured. For their actions, they are charged with Article 263 or 268 of the Criminal Code concerning making fake letters or making fake doctor certificates with the threat of a sentence of 6 years in prison.

For your information, the sale of COVID-19 free letters has been rife on social media. Not long ago, a photo of a COVID-19 free health certificate from a hospital was traded in a number of online shops. In fact, the letter was only valued at Rp. 70 thousand.

Based on the photo, there is a telephone number that can be contacted to order it. In addition, the website address 'www.suratdokterindonesiaaa.blogspot.com' appears, which seems to show the validity of the letter.

The police started investigating. Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police, Brigadier General Argo Yuwono, said that the cyber team from Bareskrim Polri was tracking the account of the seller of the medical certificate.

"Yes, the cyber team will investigate the medical certificate being traded," Argo said in his statement, Thursday, May 14.

When investigators find a criminal element, the party who uploaded the photo will of course be processed according to the applicable law.

"We will conduct an investigation, if it is proven that there is a criminal act we will process it," said Argo.