Hoarding And Raising The Price Of COVID-19 Drugs To IDR 700,000, PT ASA Boss Threatened With 5 Years In Prison

Evidence of stockpiled COVID-19 drugs/ Antara

JAKARTA - Two PT ASA bosses with the initials PT ASA with the initials YP (58) and S (56) have been named suspects for the alleged crime of hoarding drugs for COVID-19 patients.

Deputy Head of West Jakarta Metro Police AKBP Bismo Teguh Prakoso said the two were charged with the consumer protection law. Namely Law No. 8 of 1999.

Based on the investigation of Law No. 8 of 1999, the threat of sanctions for those who sell drugs above the actual price is regulated in Article 62 paragraph 1. Sanctions are in the form of imprisonment for a maximum of 5 years or a maximum fine of Rp. 2 billion.

"We have named two suspects in this case, namely the director and commissioner of PT ASA. We are ensnaring the trade law, the consumer protection law and the infectious disease control law," said Deputy Head of West Jakarta Metro Police AKBP Bismo Teguh Prakoso in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Friday. , July 30.

According to Bismo, the two suspects were proven to have stockpiled Azithromycine Dehydrate, Flucadex and several other drugs in a warehouse in West Jakarta.

Bismo said that initially PT. ASA has received the drug supply since June 5, 2021. However, when several customers ask for the drug, the company often argues that it does not have drug stock.

The company also stated the same reason when holding an online meeting with the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

"In the zoom meet, asking for the stock of this COVID drug, which is always answered, no and not reported. Not cooperative in reporting," said Bismo.

The suspect also hoarded the drugs until the price became high in the market.

The suspect charges Rp. 600,000 to Rp. 700,000 per box, while generally one tablet is only sold for Rp. 7,500.

"The price is Rp. 1,700 for one tablet. One box contains 20 tablets. These prices can reach Rp. 600,000 to Rp. 700,000 per box," said Bismo. The police also confiscated 730 cities of the drug Azythromycine Dehydrate and several other drugs destined for COVID-19 patients.

"We snared the suspect with the trade law, the consumer protection law and the infectious disease control law. The threat is five years in prison," said Bimo.

Meanwhile, the West Jakarta Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit, AKP Fahmi Fiandri, said the two suspects had not been detained because they were considered cooperative in the investigation.

However, he confirmed that the two suspects will certainly undergo examination as suspects next Tuesday.

"It's the subjectivity of investigators to make arrests. So it's not no, but they haven't made arrests yet," said Fahmi.