REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Consumer Protection and Trade Compliance Directorate General of Trade Ministry has seized some five tons, or at least 254 bags of imported garlic that allegedly has violated the permits, an official said here on Tuesday. Veri Anggrijono, the ministry's trade compliance director said in Jakarta that he already knew the importers, and they will be questioned for a further probe.

When the importers are violating their permits, the ministry will take a strong move to give them penalties. "We already have their names (of the importers), and never hesitate to revoke their licenses, or other penalties," Anggrijono said at the distribution center warehouse compound in North Jakarta, Monday (March 12).

An initial probe has revealed that the importers have carried their permits from Agriculture Ministry to distribute 300 tons garlic.

However, in accordance to the regulation, the number has exceeded the limit. "These companies have imported some 232 tons of 13,050 packs of garlic on Feb 26 this year at the Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta. They have the documents (on imports)," Anggrijono noted.

However, the trade ministry will intensify the supervision on imports. Indonesian government, he stated, will not tolerate any importers that are violating the permits, or not complying with the regulations.

Most imported garlic, he noted, have already been distributed to the main Kramat Jati market in East Java.

The number of several import commodities have been raised, because now the officials at cross-border posts have eased some procedures for the importers.

"The trade ministry will crack down any illicit importers by revoking their business permits, or reporting these people to the police," Anggrijono stressed.

After the trade ministry complete the probe, the report would be submitted to the Police and the Trade Ministry's Civil Servants Investigator for further investigations.

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