Bogus antibiotics seized in Surabaya

Bogus antibiotics seized in Surabaya

SURABAYA (JP): The East Surabaya Police raided a house used to
produce bogus antibiotic capsules on Jl. Kali Lor Indah, arrested
the house owners and seized hundreds of thousands of bogus
capsules at midnight on Monday.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Safaruddin of the East Surabaya Police said on
Tuesday that the fake antibiotic capsules were branded Deryclin,
Recomycin and Tetracycline.

"The operation was undertaken following complaints from
patients who had taken the products. Most of them said they had
vomited and had splitting headache after consuming the (bogus)
medicine," Safaruddin explained.

He said that the house owners, married couple Eko Budiono and
Yuli, had been producing the bogus capsules for one year. "They
admitted to having distributed some 500,000 capsules to small
shops and roadside vendors."

"We also confiscated hundreds of thousands of unused capsule
shells, one hundred kilograms of cornmeal and the equipment used
to produce the bogus antibiotics," Safaruddin said.

Quoting the couple, the officer said that the production
process was very simple. "The cornmeal was roasted dry and then
chilled for 24 hours before chloroquine and dye were applied.
After preservatives were added, the substance was ready to be put
in the capsules."

Several salesmen had been operating in Surabaya, Bima and
Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, Safaruddin said. "A bottle
containing 1,000 capsules was sold at Rp 35,000. The original
product costs hundreds of thousands of rupiah. With a working
capital of Rp 10 million, they said they got a minimum of Rp 1.5
million in monthly profit."

According to the officer, other suspects, including salesmen,
were still at large. "We are very serious in handling the case.
It is a question of people's lives." (nur/sur)