Three Men Arrested For Fraudulent Rapid Test Documents In Bali

Three men have been arrested by Padangbai Police Department after one of them presented a falsified rapid antigen test document at the port harbour on Tuesday (16/2).

The perpetrators, aged 30, 34, and 49 are residents of Karangasem and West Nusa Tenggara. All three are currently detained at Karangasem Police Headquarters for further investigation.

The Head of Criminal Investigation Bureau of Karangasem Police Department, Iptu Aris Setyanto explained that the case was revealed as authorities at Padangbai Port examined rapid antigen test documents from ferry passengers on Tuesday afternoon.

They noticed an irregularity in the lettering and format of the document of a passenger (initial B, aged 49). 

 “It seemed like that document was scanned because the sign and the stamp didn’t look real,” said Aris Setyanto on Wednesday (17/2).

Finding it suspicious, the officer began to question the suspect regarding the test site. His answer contradicted the site on the document.

Additionally, the officer asked him how the procedure took place to confirm his suspicions. “He told the officer that the doctor took a blood sample from him during the rapid antigen test, and the officer knows that it’s not correct,” Setyanto added.

When officers confined B in their office for further investigation, he admitted that he purchased the fraudulent document from two men in Karangasem.

B said he did not have the money to pay for a rapid antigen test and badly needed to come to Lombok to visit his sick wife.

As he could not afford testing, he resorted to other means to make his trip possible. 

Based on B’s information, the officer arrested SH and NW. “We currently detained them in Karangasem Police Department’s cell for further investigation,” Aris Setyanto concluded.