42 Tonnes of Illegal Food Products from China and the Netherlands to be Destroyed Soon
The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Baratin) will soon carry out quarantine measures to destroy 42 tonnes of illegal food products that entered through Kalimantan. This is being done to minimize the risk of spreading dangerous plant pests and diseases from the illegal commodities suspected to originate from China and the Netherlands.
“The evidence is still stored in the owner’s warehouse, but some of it has deteriorated and sprouted, posing a risk of spreading pests and diseases,” said Director of Plant Quarantine Action, Deputy for Plant Quarantine at Baratin, Abdul Rahman, in a statement on Sunday (17/5).
Abdul Rahman explained that several witnesses have been questioned. However, further investigation is needed, so they need to summon them again.
Baratin, through the West Kalimantan Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Office (West Kalimantan Quarantine) together with the West Kalimantan Police, are also searching for the owner of the goods, who has not yet been identified.
“There are some witnesses who are less cooperative when we call them, including the owner who has not yet been contacted,” he explained.
Baratin is also continuing to coordinate with the Korwas PPNS Polda West Kalimantan for further handling, such as summoning witnesses. “However, our focus now is on carrying out quarantine measures to destroy the goods in order to minimize the risk of spreading plant pests and diseases,” said Abdul Rahman.
The Head of West Kalimantan Quarantine, Ferdi, explained that onions have the potential to carry 1 species of insect, 13 species of fungi, 5 species of nematodes, 8 species of bacteria, 2 species of weeds and 1 species of virus, 42 chemical compounds, and 2 types of heavy metals.
Meanwhile, potatoes have the potential to carry 5 species of insects, 10 species of fungi, 8 species of nematodes, 10 species of bacteria, 3 species of weeds, 2 species of snails, 1 species of mites and 7 species of viruses, 63 chemical compounds, and 2 types of heavy metals.
For carrots, they have the potential to carry 2 species of insects, 5 species of fungi, 4 species of nematodes, 7 species of bacteria, 1 species of snails and 5 species of viruses, 23 chemical compounds, 2 microbes, and 2 types of heavy metals.
“The plant pests and diseases that are carried can harm local plants, which can harm farmers, while chemical contamination can endanger human health and the environment,” said Ferdi.
Previously, Baratin through West Kalimantan Quarantine together with the West Kalimantan Police secured 42 tonnes of illegal food commodities ready to be distributed in a warehouse on Jalan Komodor Yos Sudarso, Pontianak City on Tuesday (12/5). The confiscated goods consisted of 1,694 sacks of onions (33.9 tons), 735 sacks of potatoes (7.35 tons), and 61 cartons of carrots (1.22 tons).
Based on the packaging labels, all three items are suspected to originate from the Netherlands and China, while the importer is from Malaysia.
The commodities were found not to be equipped with plant health certificates from the country of origin and were not reported to quarantine officials when imported, as regulated in Article 86 of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine.
Abdul Rahman said that those who illegally import food commodities without official documents can be subject to a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to IDR 10 billion.
“This is not just illegal imports. In the midst of President Prabowo’s efforts to realize food security and self-sufficiency, this poses a threat that risks introducing plant pests and diseases that may not yet exist in Indonesia, and this is very dangerous,” Abdul Rahman concluded.