Police Target Fortified Rice Causing Consumer Losses

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Fortified rice, which was intended to supplement the nutritional needs of the community, has come under scrutiny following revelations of discrepancies in quality and nutritional content compared to packaging labels.

The Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian National Police is investigating allegations of consumer protection violations in the production and trade of fortified rice.

"Samples from five brands were taken by sampling officials from the National Food Agency (Bapanas) who hold certification, and laboratory tests showed that the quality and nutritional content of these brands did not match the packaging labels," stated Kombes Suhasto, Director of Special Economic Crimes at Bareskrim Polri, during a press conference on Wednesday (21/10/2026).

The five brands involved are Idola Hijau Fortifikasi, Idola Merah Fortifikasi, Raja Lele, Cantik Manis, and Wijaya Kusuma.

Following these findings, Bapanas reported the matter to Bareskrim for legal processing.

Investigators have escalated the case from preliminary investigation to investigation after uncovering at least two pieces of evidence.

"The Bareskrim investigators have questioned 12 witnesses, including the complainant from Bapanas; the director of PT DTA; and the head of production at PT DTA," he added.

No Suspects Yet

Although the case has progressed to the investigative stage, the police have yet to name any suspects related to the alleged inconsistencies in quality and nutritional content of the fortified rice.

"As for establishing suspects, not yet, not yet," Suhasto said.

Suhasto explained that investigators are still delving into the case, which has only been ongoing for about three days before being disclosed to the public.

"Because this is still a process, it has been underway for about three days. However, this is exacerbated by a shortage of certain rice products," he noted.

Nevertheless, Suhasto believes that the evidence collected, including expert testimony, supports the process of establishing suspects.

"How long will the investigation take? If we look at the two pieces of evidence in the police report, hopefully, it will be quick, as several experts have already supported it," Suhasto stated.