We do not know exactly what was their modus operandi and how much they charged (for each certificate).Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Officials from the Jayapura police precinct in Papua province have arrested three persons on charges of falsifying polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test certificates to show negative results.
“It is true that we arrested three people on Tuesday (August 4, 2021). One of them is a student of a higher learning institute in Abepura,” chief of the Jayapura police precinct, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Maclarimboe, said on Thursday.
The three persons have been identified by their initials as SM, NK, and M, he informed.
They were arrested from three different places in Abepura and are now being investigated, he said.
"We do not know exactly what was their modus operandi and how much they charged (for each certificate)," he added.
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Chief of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), Papua chapter, Dr. Donald Arronggear, lauded the arrests.
"We hope that all suspects involved in the syndicate of PCR COVID-19 test certificate forgery are arrested because they are very dangerous. Moreover, travelers can abuse the fake certificates (of PCR test results)," he said.
The Home Minister's Instruction No.27/2021 on the Enforcement of Level 4, 3, and 2 Public Activity Restrictions in Java and Bali has made it compulsory for domestic airline passengers to take PCR tests at least 48 hours prior to departure, he said.
However, travelers using other transportation modes, including private cars, motorbikes, buses, trains, and vessels are only required to show the results of rapid antigen tests taken a day before departure, he added.
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Translator: Evarukdijati, Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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