Bogor Police Confiscate 2 Tons of Allegedly Tainted Noodles
Jakarta. Bogor Police have raided a house in Cibinong, West Java, that allegedly was used to store noodles tainted with formaldehyde.
The home, owned by a suspect identified only as S.Y., was functioning as a warehouse for the contaminated product, which was meant for distribution throughout the district, Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Suyudi Ario Seto said on Wednesday.
“The noodles were sold at a low price. They are brighter in color, more chewy, they last longer and we believe they contain formaldehyde. We are still waiting for lab results from the health agency to confirm our suspicions,” Suyudi said.
Police arrested two couriers, identified as H.D. and N.N., and confiscated 20 bags of noodles weighing a total of two tons as evidence.
S.Y. claimed he had bought the noodles from a factory in Cianjur, also in West Java. Police later arrested the factory owner along with four employees and found two noodle-making machines, three jerrycans of formaldehyde and other necessary ingredients for the staple food.
Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, in Indonesia is often illegally used as preservative in food items such as chicken, fish, noodles, crackers, meatballs and tofu.
The suspects could face up to 15 years in jail and a fine of up to Rp 1.5 billion ($114,408).
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