Metro Jaya Police Inspect Essential Commodities in West Jakarta Market, Prevent Hoarding Ahead of Eid al-Fitr 2026

The Sub-Directorate of Investigation (Indag) of the Metro Jaya Regional Police’s Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) conducted checks on the prices and availability of essential goods (bapokting) in markets across West Jakarta. The police said the checks were aimed at ensuring stability and preventing hoarding ahead of Eid al-Fitr 2026. The team carried out on-site monitoring to ensure traders sold commodities in accordance with the government reference selling price (HAP) and the highest retail price (HET). As a result, officers found several commodities being sold above the reference price, including red bird’s-eye chillies, red onions, chicken eggs, and beef. For example, in one market in West Jakarta, traders were selling red bird’s-eye chillies at Rp 140,000 per kilogram, red onions at Rp 52,000 per kilogram, chicken eggs at Rp 32,000 per kilogram, and beef at around Rp 150,000 per kilogram. “Monitoring this is to ensure staple prices remain stable and supplies are safe for the public,” said AKBP Muh Ardila Amry, Head of the Indag Sub-Directorate of Ditreskrimsus Polda Metro Jaya, in a statement on Wednesday (4 March 2026). Officers issued warnings to traders selling staples above the reference price. They will also trace the distribution chain up to the producer or distributor level to ensure practices that trigger price surges at market level are addressed. In addition to price monitoring, the Saber Task Force is also anticipating possible hoarding of staples such as cooking oil, chilies, rice, sugar, and meat. Such practices, Ardila said, may incur criminal penalties under the applicable law. He added that Polda Metro Jaya will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies such as Bulog, Bapanas, and local government to ensure food stocks remain available and staple prices stay controlled. “We also remind traders and distributors not to engage in hoarding or price manipulation that could harm the public, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr,” he said.