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Papua launches safe food and drug campaign
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Hamrful products -- Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) head Penny K. Lukito (right) and Jayapura regional secretary Heri Dosinaen (third from left) destroy illegal and harmful food and drugs in a ceremony in Jayapura, Papua, on Oct.12. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
T
he Jayapura Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) officially launched the Papuan Safe Food and Drug Care Movement marked with destroying Rp 2.1 billion (US$161,024.43) worth of harmful and illegal food and drug products in a ceremony in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday.
Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) head Penny K. Lukito said the movement aimed to boost cross-sector cooperation to optimize the monitoring of food and drug distributions in areas across Papua.
“Law violations in the field of food and drug are crimes against humanity. To limit the movement of the perpetrators, there should be comprehensive monitoring involving government and local administrations, business players and all society members,” said Penny.
The harmful and illegal food and drugs destroyed in the event were confiscated during market operations in 29 regencies and municipalities across Papua over the past year. They comprise 220,111 pieces of expired and illegally distributed traditional medicines, cosmetics, health supplements and food, totaling 3,401 different items.
“The types of violations we found during the operations include illegal distributions of drugs, chemically-tainted drugs, expired cosmetics and expired foods,” said BBPOM Jayapura head Hans Kakerisa.
He said his agency handled 20 cases in which the perpetrators were considered of allegedly participating in light crimes. Meanwhile, five cases underwent full legal processing. “The Jayapura Prosecutors’ Office has handled the cases.”
Kakerisa said nine counterfeit drugs were discovered in three regencies this past year. “We cannot yet detail the names of the drugs, but one thing I can assure you, those drugs have not been redistributed.” (ebf)
