Indonesian police uncover operation refilling branded motor-oil bottles for sale on Shopee
At a glance
- Police in Karawang, West Java, say they found an operation in Pakisjaya district pouring oil into empty bottles of well-known motor-oil brands and sealing them to look genuine.
- Seizures included thousands of filled bottles, hundreds of empties, a cap-sealing machine, a label printer, label rolls and a sales ledger.
- One man is in custody and a second suspect is wanted; the charge is under Indonesia's Consumer Protection Law, which carries up to five years' imprisonment.
Police in Karawang, West Java, have arrested a man they say ran an operation refilling empty bottles of branded motor oil in Telukjaya village, Pakisjaya district, on the regency's north coast. The specific crimes unit of the Karawang police acted on a police report dated 30 October, and the Karawang police chief, Kombes Pol Mario Prahatinto, presented the case to the press on 4 November. [1], [2]
According to police, oil was poured into empty bottles carrying the names of brands including MPX, Yamalube, Mesran, Shell, Pertamina and Federal, using funnels and litre jugs, and the bottles were then sealed so that they looked genuine. Antara reports that police said the oil came from used motorcycle oil; Wartakota describes it as bulk or fake oil. [1], [2]
Wartakota reports that the oil was sold online through a Shopee store called "SULTAN SPARE PART", and Antara that it was supplied to repair shops. Officers seized thousands of filled bottles, hundreds of empty ones, jerry cans and drums, an induction cap sealer, a label printer, a box of labels, 14 rolls of label paper, a laptop, a phone and a sales ledger. A detik video report puts the filled bottles at 3,952 and says the operation took about Rp 7 million a day. [1], [2], [3]
The suspect, identified by the initials MK, is charged under Article 62(1) in conjunction with Article 8 of Law No. 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection, which carries up to five years' imprisonment. Police said a second suspect is wanted. The reports do not mention a trade mark charge or a complaint from a brand owner. [1], [2]
Sources
- Antara Megapolitan. Polresta Karawang ungkap kasus pemalsuan oli berbagai merk. Published 2026-11-04 21:00 Jakarta time. Indonesian. Working English title translation: Karawang police uncover counterfeiting of various brands of oil (working translation). Accessed 5 November 2026.
- Wartakota (Tribunnews). Polresta Karawang bongkar pabrik oli palsu, ribuan botol merek terkenal siap edar disita. Published 2026-11-04 20:37 Jakarta time. Indonesian. Working English title translation: Karawang police bust fake oil factory; thousands of bottles of well-known brands ready for sale seized (working translation). Accessed 5 November 2026.
- detik (20detik). Video: Sindikat oli palsu di Karawang terbongkar, raup Rp 7 juta per hari. Published 2026-11-04. Indonesian. Working English title translation: Fake oil syndicate in Karawang uncovered, taking Rp 7 million a day (working translation). Accessed 5 November 2026.
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