Indonesian iPad Sellers Trapped, Arrested for Selling Imported Goods

Two Indonesians who were selling iPads in the online trading forum Kaskus were arrested by police whilst in the middle of a transaction, on charges of selling illegal goods. Jakarta Police trapped the pair of sellers by sending an undercover agent to pose as a buyer, who then met the pair in a shopping mall to buy an iPad.

Jakarta Metro Police arrested these men because eight of the iPads they had sold didn’t come with the user manual in the Indonesian language, and weren’t labeled with stickers from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Telecommunications. So, those iPads are considered to be illegal contraband. Police identified the men as only Randy and Dian, and charged them under Indonesia’s 1999 Consumer Protection Law that covers gadgets.

The duo are now on trial and facing five years’ imprisonment. Roy Virza Hizzal, lawyer for both defendants, objects to the charges. “Trapping methods should be applied to illicit goods such as drugs. It’s clear that these iPads were bought in Singapore legally. There is an international warranty and they’re not contraband,” he said.

Trading through online forums and e-commerce websites is currently becoming a trend in Indonesia. Kaskus, as the largest online community in Indonesia, has the largest and most popular trade forum. However, since each member can sell their goods without any oversight or guarantee from the forum’s administrators, the quality of the goods and security of each transaction must be considered carefully. Hopefully this case could serve as a lesson for online sellers and buyers – be more careful.

[Source: Detik]