“We are firmly committed to eradicating all forms of illegal violations, and that is BPOM’s commitment,” BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar said during a media gathering here on Thursday.
He explained that such strict supervision aims to ensure that all products consumed and used by the public are safe and do not pose health risks.
As an archipelagic country, Indonesia has many entry points for individuals attempting to distribute illegal goods. This aligns with the World Health Organization (WHO) findings, which revealed that one in ten medical products circulating in developing countries is either substandard or falsified.
To address this, BPOM has collaborated with related ministries and agencies, including the police, to track down and apprehend offenders. Several deputy positions within BPOM are also led by police generals, enabling coordination with law enforcement personnel across the regions.
BPOM has also mobilized hundreds of thousands of community cadres and worked with local governments to protect citizens from illegal products while promoting public awareness to make informed choices.
The agency’s commitment is further reflected through cooperation with pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia and international partners such as WHO.
In addition to field monitoring and regulatory enforcement, Ikrar said BPOM has conducted intensive digital tracking, removing around 1.35 million online links distributing illegal products over the past three years. In July 2025 alone, 190 thousand new links were found and taken down.
Furthermore, Ikrar confirmed that BPOM is also capable of tracing WhatsApp groups used by individuals to attract buyers.
“We ensure that all medicines and food products truly have safety, quality, and efficacy that are genuinely good for people’s lives, and for Indonesia as well,” he said.
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Translator: Hreeloita, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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