TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Police has named a woman with the initial of RA as a suspect an alleged chili cartel. Brig. Gen. Agung Setya, Director of Special and Economic Crime of the National Police Crime investigation Division (Bareskrim) said that RA lives in Solo, Central Java.
"We have named [RA] as a suspect, she will come on Thursday, we have delivered the summon," Agung said to Tempo on Monday, March 6, 2017.
Agung said that RA is a wholesaler in Surakarta, Central Java. Just like other suspects, Agung stated, RA channeled chili supplies intended for the market for major industries.
Agung said that the Bareskrim has managed to identify nine chili cartels operating in Java. Aging explained that the cartels will make offers to companies with their own prices. "Later, the companies will decide which cartel will be chosen as the supplier," Agung said.
Agung said that the suspects carried out their crime by agreeing to certain prices before making different offers to factories. Agung added that 90 percent of the chili was distributed to industries instead of the market. "This caused [chili] supply shortage," Agung said.
Agung however, refused to name the companies involved in receiving the chili supplies.
AHMAD FAIZ
