BPOM monitors 263,000 links for illegal cosmetics sales
Tangerang Regency (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) is working alongside relevant agencies to monitor 263,000 digital links suspected of engaging in the sale of illegal cosmetic products.
“To give an example, there are already 263,000 links promoting (illegal cosmetics); we are currently monitoring all of them,” said the Head of BPOM, Taruna Ikrar, in Tangerang on Friday.
He stated that the monitoring of links operating through electronic system providers to promote these cosmetic products is being conducted by BPOM in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemdigi) and the Indonesian E-Commerce Association.
“We have reported this to e-commerce platforms because the take-down process falls under the Ministry of Communication and Digital. We have reported it, and the e-commerce platforms have been notified; these are now being taken down,” he said.
According to him, the circulation of illegal cosmetics in Indonesia has been identified through specific systems and methods, including free online trade, which allows unsafe foreign cosmetic products to enter the country easily without the necessary permits for sale.
Furthermore, another trigger is the lack of awareness among the Indonesian public regarding the use of cosmetics that have obtained official distribution permits from the government.
“If we calculate it, the specific findings are predominantly online; currently, over 70 per cent is online, while approximately 20 to 30 per cent is offline,” he added.
He also revealed that in addition to monitoring sales links, BPOM has detected more than 2,000 cosmetic brand items and placed them on a blacklist as hazardous goods.
“We have blacklisted these. There are over 900 of the most recent items we have blacklisted. However, previously, we had blacklisted approximately 2,000 cosmetic product items as well,” he explained.
He noted that the majority of the cosmetic products subject to these blacklisting enforcement actions originate from China and are imported illegally.
“The majority are from China. There also appear to be products from other countries, but almost 90 per cent are from China,” he said.
This disclosure began following information received from the public since late May 2024. The intelligence and Cyber team of the BPOM Directorate subsequently conducted in-depth investigations, identifying 890 items of cosmetics without distribution permits, totaling 1,818,245 pieces.
“The estimated economic value of the risk and loss to the public in material terms is 22.1 billion [IDR],” he said.
Taruna stated that based on these initial findings, the BPOM team further expanded their investigation, apprehending two individuals acting as importers and resellers.
“They had obtained and stored the products in a warehouse located in Bojing Nangka Village, Kelapa Dua District, Tangerang Regency, Banten,” he said.
At that location, authorities found 956 items, all of which lacked distribution permits, bringing the total number of discovered products to 2,082 pieces.
“Since this is an unofficial, illegal route, they do not pay taxes or various other fees. The economic value of the risk and loss to the state is 5.5 billion [IDR],” he said.
He revealed that investigations into the importers showed these products were brought into Indonesia via general forwarders suspected of engaging in practices that do not comply with regulations. Additionally, they marketed and distributed illegal products widely through e-commerce platforms.
“Furthermore, these cosmetics do not possess a distribution permit (TIE). Imported cosmetics entering Indonesia without meeting these requirements cannot have their safety or quality guaranteed,” he concluded.