TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Police have uncovered another place stockpiling face masks in Tangerang amid the shortage of the commodity in the wake of the new coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.

The alleged hoarding of masks amounting to hundreds of thousands of pieces took place in the warehouse of PT MJP Cargo No 88 on Jalan Marsekal Surya Darma, Neglasari, Tangerang.

“We find a suspected crime of hoarding or trading medical devices in the form of masks without distribution permit,” said Jakarta Police special crime unit director Sr. Comr. Iwan Kurniawan on Tuesday, March 3.

Iwan said the warehouse was loaded with some 600,000 pieces of face masks; 180 packs (360,000 pieces) of Remedi brand and 107 packs (214,000 pieces) of Volca and Well Best brand.

During the raid, the police arrested two owners or the hoarders. They were still being examined at the police headquarters. The police also questioned several owners of the building. Iwan stopped short of providing detail information related to the investigation.

Such practice of hoarding protective masks is often done by some to gain a higher profit, especially after the government announced the first confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Indonesia.

Previously, Jakarta Police raided illegal mask production at a warehouse in North Jakarta on Thursday, Feb. 27. The police secured 60 cardboard boxes containing 3,000 boxes of face masks ready to be distributed. The police also revealed the practice of mask hoarding in an apartment in Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta yesterday.

Iwan underlined that the police would charge the face mask hoarders amid the COVID-19 coronavirus fear with Article 107 of Law No. 7/2014 on trade.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH