inp.polri.go.id –Â Head of Public Relations (Kabid Humas) of the Regional Police of East Java (Polda Jatim), Commissioner Dirmanto said that the disclosure of cases of hoarding and misuse of subsidized fertilizers was the order from the National Police Chief (Kapolri), Police General Drs. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, M.Si. He ordered the entire Regional Police to oversee the distribution of fertilizer in their respective area.
“We took the initiation by collaborating with the Agriculture Service, the Provincial Food Security Service, and the Industry and Trade Office. During the months of January-April we tried to work optimally, and it turned out that our suspicions were true about the illegal distribution of fertilizers by certain individuals,” said Commissioner Dirmanto in Surabaya, Wednesday (18/05/22).
Polda Jatim themselves managed to disclose 17 public reports and arrest 21 suspects. A total of 13 reports were handled by the ranks of the Regional Police and 4 reports were handled by the Departmental Police.
There are nine areas where the police disclosure the cases of misuse of subsidized fertilizers, namely Banyuwangi, Jember, Nganjuk, Ngawi, Ponorogo, Tuban, Blitar, Sampang, and Lamongan. Most of the findings were in Lamongan which reached 90 tons of fertilizers.
Kabid Humas Polda Jatim explained that disclosing the abuse of subsidized fertilizers is very vital considering East Java is the national food barn and is closely related to national economic recovery.
The East Java Police are still investigating whether the perpetrators know each other or not. Dirmanto confirmed that the perpetrators were not fertilizer distributors, but general sellers. They buy subsidized fertilizers at kiosks designated to be fertilizer distributors in East Java. They store the fertilizer in their own warehouses and homes. When it’s planting season and the farmers need fertilizer, they sell it at various prices ranging from Rp160,000 to Rp200,000, even though the highest retail price set by the government is Rp115,000.
“They repackaged the sacks with the sacks of unsubsidized fertilizer. We received this initial information regarding the repackaging of these sacks from the relevant agencies, the community, and especially farmers,” said the former Head of Public Relations of the West Kalimantan Police.
The police will examine and explore how the suspect was able to buy subsidized fertilizers because buyers of subsidized fertilizers must have a Farmer’s Card. The police will also look on the possibility of distributors who do not make sales according to the SOP set by the Government.
