Police Probe Allegations over Illegal Sales of Leftover Vaccines as Boosters
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7 January 2022 12:20 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Surabaya City Police are investigating the alleged existence of a booster vaccine syndicate selling leftover vaccines. The Surabaya Health Office filed a police report on Wednesday, January 5, after receiving information that an individual paid Rp250,000 for a Sinovac booster.
Surabaya City has not started booster rollouts.
The Surabaya City Health Office chief, Nanik Sukristina, said that the report had been followed up by the police's criminal investigation unit.
"We are still waiting for the results of the Surabaya Police's search and investigation," Nanik said in a written statement, Thursday, January 6.
Nanik said Surabaya has not yet started booster rollouts. They are still waiting for a circular from the central government as instruction guides for technical and field implementation. As of Thursday afternoon, she said, the circular had not been sent.
Surabaya Police Chief, Sr. Comr. Akhmad Yusep Gunawan, said that investigators had followed up on the report from the Health Office. "We are still investigating the lead and interviewing the reporter," Yusep told Tempo, Thursday afternoon.
Yusep said investigators are looking into two matters based on a citizen's report that they got the booster by paying. The other is a follow-up on a TV news broadcast about the sales of booster vaccines.
Preliminary investigations showed no involvement of officials and health workers. Yusep suspects the perpetrators are people who took part in previous vaccine rollouts.
"Our temporary suspicion is that whoever did this took leftover vaccines, collected them, and sold them as boosters," said Yusep.
Meanwhile, East Java Police Chief Insp. Gene. Nico Afinta said a team of investigators has been established. He ensured all perpetrators will be punished.
According to Nico, the perpetrator[s] are suspected to have participated in previous vaccine rollouts and deliberately did not report that there were vaccine leftovers.
Read: 244 Cities/Regencies Eligible for Booster Rollout
Kukuh S. Wibowo
