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he Food and Drug Controlling Agency's (BPOM) Central Java office seized on Saturday at least a ton of herbal medicines allegedly containing chemical ingredients that could be dangerous to human health.

The medicines, or jamu as they are locally known, were seized from two factories and warehouses in Randegan subdistrict, Kebasen district, Banyumas, belonging to jamu producer PT Jaya Asri owned by Kholifan, a local.

Agency head Maringan Silitonga told the press in Purwokerto, Banyumas, after the seizure that his office had seized a total of 40 sacks of herbal medicines in the form of powder, allegedly containing dangerous chemical elements, of about a ton in weight.

"They are labeled by the company owner as herbal medicines for uric acid and bone flu," Silitonga said.

As stipulated in Law No 23/1992 on health, if convicted the owner of the company could be sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for violation of the law.

Silitonga said there were at least two violations the company owner would be charged with.

"First, based on our investigation, the products are not registered at the health ministry. Second, the products contain chemical ingredients. They are very dangerous to human health," Silitonga explained.

The chemical ingredients contained in the herbal products reportedly included dexamitason, antalgin and B12 vitamins, which could cause kidney problems if taken without a doctor's prescription.

"Since February we been conducting an investigation on the distribution of herbal medicines containing dangerous chemical ingredients in Banyumas and Cilacap," Silitonga said.

So far, he added, his office had handled at least 14 cases. All were currently undergoing legal process in the courts.

Silitonga said the raid conducted on PT Jaya Asri was based on the result of some months of investigation.

The investigation was done following the finding of two million CTM pills and thousands of kilograms of herbal medicines containing chemical ingredients from expediting company PT Bima Putra Expres in Sampang district, Cilacap, last month.

"They were about to be sent to a number of regions outside Java. From there we learned that Kholifan's men had sent them," he said.

As well as a ton of herbal medicines, during Saturday's raid the agency also seized five machine units used to produce them.

The two neighboring regencies of Banyumas and Cilacap have long been known as the centers for herbal medicine production. In Cilacap alone there are about 2,000 jamu producers, mostly based in Kroya and Sampang districts. In Banyumas, there are about 300.

Many of the factories reportedly often add chemical ingredients to their products, which are mostly marketed in regions outside Java including Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

From 2000 the BPOM has, in fact, frequently conducted raids on such factories in the two regions. Many factory owners, accordingly, have been sent to jail for violations of the health law. "But, surprisingly, they seem to have learned nothing," Silitonga said.