Police crack down on three illegal `jamu' factories

Agus Maryono ,  THE JAKARTA POST ,  PURWOKERTO   |  Fri, 05/08/2009 1:22 PM  |  The Archipelago

Police in Banyumas regency, Central Java, have raided three jamu (traditional herbal medicine) factories, believed to have mixed their products with chemicals, over the past week.

The three factories were Jamu Jaya, owned by Kamaludin, located in Kesugahan district in Cilacap regency, and two others located in Kebasan district, Banyumas regency.

Both of the unidentified factories, owned by Supriyono and Samsuri, produced various brands of adulterated jamu products with traditional names.

Police seized thousands of cartons, each filled with hundreds of packages of jamu as well as equipment from the three jamu factories.

"We found a huge amount of equipment. We do this for the sake of the public. They have often been warned by the local food and drug monitoring agency (BPOM), but have never heeded it," Banyumas Police chief Sr. Comr. M. Ghufron told reporters in Purwokerto on Thursday.

Ghufron said officers found a number of generic drugs, such as CTM, as well as a number of empty plastic bags at the crime scenes.

"We also confiscated samples of jamu in powder form and already packaged in sachets, grinding machines, printing machines and molding devices. We confiscated a total of five truck-loads of evidence, including those still at the three locations," said Ghufron.

He added the three jamu factory owners had been currently named as suspects, while police had seized seven jamu samples and sent them to the National Police Headquarter labs in Jakarta for analysis.

According to Ghufron, the suspects could be indicted with multiple charges, under the Law No. 5/1984 on industry, which carries a five-year sentence and under Law No. 53/2002 on health. They have also violated the health law by mixing jamu with chemicals and by not having a business license.

The jamu industry in Banyumas and Cilacap is often subject to controversy due to the chemicals contained in their products. Almost every year since 2000, police have been raiding jamu factories and arresting their owners for using chemical substances in their products.

Head of Cilacap Aneka Sari Jamu Cooperatives Yahya Karomi said it was difficult for his organization to monitor jamu makers due to their huge numbers.

"To them, jamu is their bread and butter. They easily concoct and falsify jamu brands. We have repeatedly reminded them, but they have never heeded us," Karomi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He added Cilacap was home to around 500 jamu cottage industries. "The number has considerably declined, compared to 2006 when the number reached more than 2,000. Many of them gave up due to frequent raids," said Karomi.

He added many of them had switched professions, opening supermarkets and gas stations.

"We are currently training them to make pure traditional jamu without chemicals. However, it is a daunting task because according to them, doing so would be less profitable," said Karomi.

Jamu laced with chemicals is easier to sell on the market because its potency can be immediately felt, while pure traditional jamu must be consumed regularly for up to a week to feel its effectiveness.

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