Indonesian police arrest four over copycat Sehatku herbal tea

Police in Garut, West Java, have arrested four people over herbal tea sold online in packaging that copied the registered Sehatku Herbal brand. Garut police chief AKBP Niko N. Adi Putra announced the case at a press conference on 10 October. The suspects, identified by their initials, are TR, 23, BN, 28, R, 56, and J, 45, all from Garut Regency. [1], [2]

According to police, the case started with the brand owner. PT Sehatku Tisane Jaya Abadi, a company based in Bekasi, noticed its monthly sales falling, found look-alike products in copied packaging and traced them to Garut before reporting the matter. [1], [2]

Police say the four worked in stages. Herbal powder, including kumis kucing (cat’s whiskers), was bought from online marketplaces, packed by hand into tea bags and sold online below the price of the genuine product. VIVA reports that the tea was sold on TikTok through an account called “sehatkuherball”, and that the suspects made about Rp3 million to Rp5 million a month. Officers seized herbal powder, 200 filled and 200 empty tea bags, and counterfeit Sehatku Herbal packaging. [1], [2], [3]

The suspects face investigation under Article 100(1) of Indonesia’s Law No. 20 of 2016 on Marks and Geographical Indications, which carries up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp2 billion. Police are also examining Article 106 of the Trade Law over trading without the required permits. The company’s lawyer, Indra Gunawan Simatupang, described conditions at the production site as very worrying. [1], [2]

This is a small operation, but a familiar pattern: sales fall, copies turn up online, and the trail leads to a handful of people packing goods. Here the brand owner did the groundwork and the police acted on it.

Sources

1. Tribratanews Polda Jabar (West Java Police). Polres Garut Bongkar Sindikat Pemalsuan Produk Herbal Sehatku, Empat Pelaku Diringkus, Produk Dijual Tanpa Izin Berbahayakan Konsumen. Published 2026-10-10 20:22 Jakarta time. Indonesian. Byline: TBNews Jabar. Accessed 15 October 2026. Working English title translation: Garut police dismantle Sehatku herbal product counterfeiting syndicate; four arrested (working translation).
2. Inilahkoran. Polres Garut Bongkar Pemalsuan Produk Herbal Sehatku, Empat Orang Jadi Tersangka. Published 2026-10-10 15:30 Jakarta time. Indonesian. Byline: Ahmad Sayuti. Accessed 15 October 2026. Working English title translation: Garut police uncover counterfeit Sehatku herbal products; four named as suspects (working translation).
3. VIVA Bandung. Polisi Tangkap 4 Pemalsu Teh Herbal yang Bikin Omzet Perusahaan Turun. Published 2026-10-14 08:50 Jakarta time. Indonesian. Byline: Tasdik. Accessed 15 October 2026. Working English title translation: Police arrest 4 herbal tea counterfeiters who cut a company’s sales (working translation).