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JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian police say they are investigating the deaths of 21 people who drank a concoction labeled an herbal remedy.
Lt. Col. Yatim Suyatmo said Friday officers had yet to determine whether the brew was deliberately poisoned or inadvertently contaminated during production.
The victims in the town of Jambi on Sumatra island all died over the last two weeks, he said. He said the drink was made in a local factory.
Scores of companies in Indonesia produce pills and drinks labeled as herbal remedies or tonics. The government, which is seeking to regulate the sector, say many contain unspecified chemicals.
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