BPOM: 1.5 Million Illegal Product Links Blocked

The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM RI) has announced that 1.5 million links for the sale of illegal products across various e-commerce platforms have been permanently blocked by the government.

Speaking in Tangerang on Thursday, BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar stated that the blocking of these millions of illegal product links is an effort to suppress the circulation of goods without official distribution permits, which can harm the public.

“Based on data from 2023, 2024, and 2025, there were 1.3 million links. From those 1.3 million links, action has been taken. This year, approximately 200,000 links have also been blocked,” he explained.

He noted that enforcement against these illegal product sales accounts is carried out continuously through close coordination with the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) and e-commerce platform operators. He highlighted the massive potential for loss and negative impact if these links are widely accessed by the public. “Imagine if just one link is viewed by 1,000 people; how many billions of people could be deceived by illegal products?” he said.

Taruna also emphasised that this firm action aligns with the momentum of Patient Safety Day. In accordance with legal mandates, BPOM acts as the frontline in guaranteeing quality to the public. “According to the law, BPOM is a guarantor. A guarantor of safety, efficacy or benefit, and quality,” he stated.

He added that if these three aspects of guarantee are not met by a product, its circulation is certainly illegal and endangers patient safety. Negligence in this oversight, Taruna said, risks enabling crimes that ultimately burden patients and the wider public both economically and in terms of health. “Therefore, BPOM is committed to continuously taking firm action in accordance with existing regulations if there are matters that could endanger the health or safety of our people,” he said.

Previously, BPOM RI successfully uncovered a storage and distribution warehouse for hundreds of thousands of illegal natural medicines, health supplements, and cosmetics valued at approximately Rp25 billion in Pakuhaji, Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Wednesday (30/09/2026). The discovery was the result of cyber patrol developments regarding the online sale of products without distribution permits, which were followed up with field investigations.

Officers successfully located a warehouse in the Laksana Business Park Warehouse Complex, Pakuhaji, suspected of being used to store and distribute illegal products. During the field operation, one foreign national, identified by the initials WNA, was detained and named a suspect. “There is one individual, a foreign national. We are currently conducting investigations and examinations, as they certainly have a network that we wish to uncover,” he said.

Based on the examination, BPOM found 287 types of products, totalling approximately 459,000 items, with an estimated economic value of Rp25 billion. The findings included 243 types, or about 436,000 products, of illegal and/or suspected counterfeit cosmetics valued at approximately Rp18.9 billion. Additionally, officers seized 44 types, or about 23,000 products, of illegal natural medicines and health supplements valued at approximately Rp6.1 billion. These products were dominated by imports from China, the United States, and Australia.

BPOM stated that perpetrators proven to be storing and distributing illegal products could be charged under Article 435 in conjunction with Article 138, paragraphs (2) and (3) of Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health. “Violations of these provisions can be subject to a prison sentence of up to 12 years or a maximum fine of Rp5 billion,” he said.