Indonesian police seize over 6,00,000 face masks from warehouse amid coronavirus fear

The Jakarta police have recently uncovered a warehouse that was used for stockpiling of masks in Tangerang, Indonesia. This comes at a time when there is a shortage of facemasks in the market after the government announced the first case of coronavirus in Indonesia. According to reports, the authorities found hundreds of thousands of face masks.

Coronavirus fears trigger hoarding

As per reports, the warehouse was located on Jalan Marsekal Surya Darma, Neglasari, Tangerang. Reports indicated that the warehouse had 600,000 pieces of face masks, 180 packs meaning 360,000 pieces of Remedi Brand and 107 packs meaning 214,000 pieces of Volca and Well best brand.

The authorities have not released any further details related to the investigation but did claim that they had arrested two individuals who may have been the hoarders or the warehouse owners. Recently Indonesia announced the first confirmed case of the COVID-19 in Indonesia.

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Earlier on February 27, the Jakarta police had raided a warehouse in North Jakarta. The police, according to reports, found 60 cardboard boxes containing 3,000 boxes of facemasks that were ready to be distributed.

Coronavirus in Indonesia

Indonesia on March 2 confirmed its initial cases of coronavirus after two of its citizens tested positive for the virus, country’s President Joko Widodo said while talking to international media. Widodo added that both the patients contracted coronavirus from a Japanese national. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has killed over 3,000 people and infected nearly 88,000 people across the globe with the majority in mainland China, international media reported. 

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Widodo, while addressing reporters at his Presidential Palace on March 2, said that a 64-year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter were tested positive after being in contact with a Japanese national. The Japanese who lived in Malaysia were tested positive after returning from a trip to Indonesia. According to reports, the Indonesian medical team uncovered the cases after they traced the movent of the Japanese visitor.