Home appliance scam uncovered by police

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives arrested three men in different raids last week for allegedly substituting non-Philips home appliances and reselling them as the authentic product, an officer said on Tuesday.

Jakarta Police Detective chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said the suspects, identified as Hadi P., A Fong and Tan Sun Fa, had first bought cheaper products, such as the Toyosaki brand, before changing the brands into the world famous one.

"We conducted the raids following public complaints concerning electric appliances they bought from certain stores," Alex said.

He said the raids were conducted on three consecutive days beginning last Thursday.

Police seized from Hadi's house in Sunter, West Jakarta, 24 bulbs, 105 ballasts bearing the Philips brand name, as well as printing equipment.

Hadi said the items were sold at Kenari electronic market in Central Jakarta.

At A Fong's residence in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, the officers found 65 "Philips" bulbs. The suspect said that he bought the bulbs from the SP store at Harco Mangga Dua shopping center.

From Tan Sun Fa's house, police confiscated 544 "Philips" bulbs, 186 "Philips" irons, as well as "Philips" packaging, printing equipment, and a mold for a Philips iron.

Head of economic crime detectives, Major Tito said: "A forged Philips bulb, for example, could be sold at Rp 30,000 from a Rp 17,500 bulb, while the genuine one costs Rp 50,000."

Alex said NV Philips Holland, the producer of the original Philips products had expressed its gratitude to the Jakarta Police detectives for their good work. (05)