Expired Imported Lamb from Australia Sold to Market Ahead of Eid Celebration

Jakarta — Imported lamb meat from Australia that had expired was being sold to the market by exploiting the surge in food demand ahead of Eid al-Fitr. Four perpetrators have been arrested and designated as suspects by the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim) of the National Police.

“The suspects are alleged to have resold imported meat that had passed its expiry date since April 2024, taking advantage of the increased food needs of the community ahead of the religious holiday,” explained Head of Unit I of the Criminal Investigation Directorate Kombes Pol Setyo K. Heriyatno in a statement on Monday, 16 March 2026.

The suspects obtained the meat since 2022. Some has already been sold, whilst the remainder of the expired meat was being resold to traders at prices of between IDR 50,000 and IDR 80,000 per kilogramme.

“IY as the meat seller, T and AR as intermediaries, and SS as the buyer who then resold the meat to market traders,” he explained.

For their actions, the suspects are charged under Article 8 paragraph (3) in conjunction with Article 62 paragraph (1) of Law Number 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection, as well as a number of provisions in Law Number 18 of 2012 on Food and Law Number 7 of 2014 on Trade.

They face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to IDR 2 billion.

Head of the Mobile Emergency Response Unit (Satresmob) of the Criminal Investigation Directorate Kombes Pol Teuku Arsya Khadafi said the revelation of this case began with a public report about plans to sell expired imported Australian lamb carcass meat.

Following up on that information, the Satresmob team of the Criminal Investigation Directorate investigated and monitored the distribution activities of the meat. From the operation, officers secured three trucks carrying approximately 9 tonnes of expired imported lamb meat that were planned to be distributed to traders.

Investigators then developed the case by securing two storage warehouses in the Batuceper area of Tangerang City and Cikupa in Tangerang Regency.

“From both locations, additional evidence in the form of imported lamb meat that had passed its expiry date was found again,” he explained.