"We have named 14 directors from 14 companies as suspects in this MinyaKita case," he informed on Thursday.
The determination of the suspects was carried out based on reports of discrepancy between MinyaKita quantity measurements and labels on packaging.
Assegaf informed that producers found violating the rules mostly produce MinyaKita in bottled form.
The National Police's food task force and the Ministry of Trade have sealed a factory belonging to PT Artha Eka Global Asia (AEGA) in Karawang, West Java, for violating the provisions on MinyaKita quantity measurements.
In the MinyaKita distribution chain, PT AEGA worked as a repacker and was registered as a level 1 (D1) distributor.
During volumetric tests, the volume of oil in fully filled bottles produced by PT AEGA was found to be around 800 milliliters, which is 200 ml lower than the required 1 thousand ml or 1 liter.
Thus, the MinyaKita packaging bottles at the factory did not comply with the requirements.
In addition, PT AEGA sold illegal licenses to two distribution companies in Tangerang to produce MinyaKita.
"Their permits have been revoked. They are no longer allowed to operate," Trade Minister Budi Santoso informed.
Based on the findings of the task force, PT AEGA also did not take raw oil via the domestic market obligation (DMO) scheme.
The ingredients for MinyaKita, which is a brand of affordable cooking oil, need to be obtained from palm oil derivative industry business actors through the DMO policy scheme.
Earlier, the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police had named one suspect in the MinyaKita quantity deception case at PT AEGA, namely the director of the company.
The director, who was charged under Article 62, in conjunction with Articles 8, 9, and 10 of Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection, faces a maximum of five years' imprisonment or a maximum fine of Rp2 billion (US$117 thousand).
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Translator: Putu Indah S, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Primayanti
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