Joint Operation Successfully Seizes 20,000 Illegal Cigarettes in Indonesia

Oct.20.2023

Indonesian authorities discovered 20,000 illegal cigarettes in Jember county, targeting six shops in an enforcement operation.

According to Indonesian media outlet Beritajatim on October 18, the municipal police, as well as the tax and customs departments in Jember County, Indonesia, carried out a joint operation and seized 20,000 illegal cigarettes within two days in East Java Province.

A joint operation was conducted in the areas of Arjasa, Kalisat, Ledokombo, Sumberjambe, and Pakusari. During the operation, a total of six shops were subjected to search and seizure.

The Chief of the Municipal Police Department of Jepara County, Bambang Saputro, announced on Thursday, October 19, 2023, that they have seized over four thousand packs of cigarettes, equivalent to approximately twenty thousand individual cigarettes of various brands, which are now being stored at the Jepara Customs Office.

In addition to seizing illegal cigarettes, a couple who owns a shop is also being investigated by the Jefferson County Tax and Customs Office. "They were caught for storing a large quantity of illegal cigarettes. We are also investigating another man who was found storing a significant amount of illegal cigarettes at the Jefferson County Customs Office," said Saptaro.

Saputro emphasized that the government of Jeber County and the Tax and Customs Department will continue to collaborate in order to comply with the Tobacco Excise Revenue Sharing (DBHCHT) agreement starting in 2022. He hopes to dismantle the operation of illegal cigarettes in Jeber and prevent their circulation from affecting society. "I urge the public to cooperate and stop purchasing illegal cigarettes, or report the presence of illegal cigarettes to the local police or the Tax and Customs Department," Saputro said.

In addition, he pointed out that it is easy to identify the characteristics of illegal cigarettes. Illegal cigarettes are those sold without paying taxes to the country. "The actual manifestation is the absence of tax labels, or the presence of counterfeit tax labels, or the presence of tax labels stripped from other cigarettes," he said.

References:

[1] Petugas Sita 20 Ribu Batang Rokok Ilegal, Periksa Pasutri di Jember

Also Read:

[1] China's E-cigarette Exports to Indonesia in August 2023

[2] A Quarter of Jakarta Students Are Smokers: Indonesian Media

[3] Indonesia's Tobacco Tax Revenue Reaches 2.57 Trillion Rupees

#Indonesia #Illegal e-cigarettes #OTHER AREAS

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