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Body care manufacturers arrested for fake products
Police announced Tuesday they had arrested three suspects for allegedly forging body care products like shampoo, perfume and body lotion in their small factories in Kebon Jeruk and Tambora in West Jakarta and in Tangerang, Banten
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Police announced Tuesday they had arrested three suspects for allegedly forging body care products like shampoo, perfume and body lotion in their small factories in Kebon Jeruk and Tambora in West Jakarta and in Tangerang, Banten.
One of the factories produced forged Natur shampoo products, while the others produced fake perfumes using Alyssa Ashley, Pall Mall, Long Beach and Cabana labels.
Police said the factories had been in operation for more than a year and their products had been sold in small shops and supermarkets around the city, targeting lower economic groups.
"The suspects will be charged under the health law and trademark law with a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment and a Rp 1 billion (US$110,000) fine," said Sr. Comr. Amran Depari, head of the narcotics division.
Amran said that although investigations are yet to determine whether the fake products contain harmful substances, it was highly possible that the manufacturers did not take health into consideration.
"What matters for these manufacturers is profit. Their fake shampoo, for example, causes irritation and hair loss instead of treating hair," said the officer.
The police are working with the Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency and the Jakarta Industry and Trade Agency to make arrests and further investigate the cases.
The police and the agencies plan more raids on medium to small shops in the city for fake products.
Head of Jakarta Industry and Trade Agency Ade Soeharsono said that although packaging is often a near perfect imitation, the knock-off product packages are lighter in color and do not have registration numbers and labels.
The fake Natur shampoo is thinner and has a weaker fragrance than the original one. The fake perfumes smell almost the same as the originals but do not last as long.
Indah Suksmaningsih, chairwoman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation, said people should pay more attention when purchasing products.
"Consumers should make sure they're buying products at respectable and credible shops which have clear addresses. Forged products are usually sold at cheaper prices, which is an obvious sign they're not real," she said.
Consumers, she said, should also look for a feedback hotline or an address on the product pack.
She also said the penalty in such forgery cases was not effective in deterring the perpetrators because they were usually not sent to jail.
"They could easily pay the fine, and then get back to production," she said. (dre)
