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Indonesian Police: Thousands Affected by Used Rapid Test Samples in North Sumatra

Regional Police in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra has estimated that reused antigen rapid test swab kits by Kimia Farma pharmaceutical company personnel at Kualanamu International Airport has affected thousands of travelers.

North Sumatra Regional Police chief Inspector General Panca Putra Simanjuntak said the syndicate, which was led by an individual identified as PC, Kimia Farma’s regional Business Manager, started to snare their victims in December 2020.

“Those samples are used on at least 100 [people] daily over a 90 day period, or over 9 thousand people. The perpetrators made about Rp. 1.8 billion [124,630.44] since their racket started in December 2020,” he noted.

PC’s fellow accomplices, DP, SP, MR and RN, have different roles designated by PC. “We would choose swabs that have undamaged exteriors to be disinfected with 75 percent alcohol and passed off as new and reused," said DP and SP.

Another accomplice, MR, would type negative or positive results on the used tests, depending on their original outcome, while RN ‘registered’ the victims and counted the number of travelers manipulated into taking the tests.”

Benny Satria, an expert member of the Covid-19 Task Force in North Sumatra, warned that reusing the swab rapid test kits are hazardous, as they are B3, or hazardous and toxic waste.

"The [Covid-19 positive] swab sticks are known to carry [the coronavirus], and the virus cannot be rid by merely disinfecting the rapid test samples. The swab samples can spread [the pandemic].”

The police charged the suspects under a 2009 medical law on the use of potentially dangerous materials, as well as a 1999 law on consumer protection. If found guilty, they faced up to five years in jail and a Rp. 2 billion [$138,478.26] fine.

Source:

https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/05/01/072039974/indonesian-police-thousands-affected-by-used-rapid-test-samples-in-north-sumatra?page=all#page2. 

Indonesian Officials in Bali Deport Foreigners Over Bogus Face Mask

Indonesian immigration officials in Bali have deported two foreign tourists, over a week after they stirred outrage among Indonesian netizens by using body painting to evade health protocols, and uploading a video of their actions.

Ministry of Law and Human Rights Bali Regional Office Head, Jamaruli Manihuruk said the two, Taiwanese-American citizen Lin Chi 'Joshua' Chen and Russian national Leia Se, were deported for violating local and national laws.

Joshua and Se's arrest and deportation occurred, eight days after the two posted a video of themselves on YouTube trying to enter a supermarket in Bali.