BPOM Intensifies Action Against Online Sales of Illegal Products

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has requested that approximately 1.5 million links suspected of selling illegal products be blocked or removed from digital platforms. This measure aims to stop the sale of illegal medicines, health supplements, and cosmetics that could endanger the public.

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar stated that approximately 1.3 million links were identified between 2023 and 2025. In 2026 alone, action was taken against over 200,000 links.

Data from 2023, 2024, and 2025 shows a total of 1.3 million links. BPOM has requested that the Ministry of Communication and Digital take down all 1.3 million of these links. E-commerce listings have also been removed. Specifically, over 200,000 links have already been addressed this year," said Taruna at the Pelita Harapan University (UPH) campus in Karawaci, Tangerang, on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

He added that the sheer volume of links highlights the extent of potential public exposure to illegal products via digital platforms. "If just one link is viewed by 1,000 people, imagine how many billions could be deceived by these illegal products," he said.

Taruna emphasized that BPOM would continue its oversight and enforcement actions in accordance with statutory regulations. He noted that these efforts are part of protecting public health and safety.

"BPOM will consistently take firm action in accordance with existing regulations whenever there are matters that could endanger the health or safety of our people," he stated.

He explained that BPOM is mandated to ensure the safety, efficacy, utility, and quality of products circulating among the public. Consequently, illegal products that have not undergone the BPOM evaluation process lack guarantees regarding these three aspects.

“If these three elements are compromised—meaning the product is illegal—then there is no guarantee. And what does a lack of guarantee imply? It means a violation of the law and a compromise of patient safety,” said Taruna.

BPOM also monitors the distribution of illegal products by tracking online stores. One such effort led to the discovery of a warehouse storing illegal products at the Laksana Business Park complex in Pakuhaji, Tangerang Regency.

The warehouse was identified after BPOM detected product sales activity via a supplement store on the online platform Shopee. At the site, officers discovered 459,591 units of illegal natural medicines, health supplements, and cosmetics, with an estimated total value of IDR 25 billion.

Taruna stated that the location allegedly served as a collection point for products belonging to various parties before they were shipped to consumers through different online stores.

“There must be no room for the circulation of illegal products that could endanger the public,” Taruna said.

According to him, the products found at the site lacked distribution permits and had not undergone BPOM’s evaluation process. Consequently, their safety, efficacy or benefit, and quality could not be guaranteed.

BPOM emphasized that it would continue to monitor illegal products—including those marketed via digital platforms—to prevent items that fail to meet regulatory standards from circulating and being consumed by the public. ***