Banjarmasin Customs Finds 76,100 Illegal Cigarettes With A Potential State Loss Of IDR 65 Million

Banjarmasin Customs Office officers during monitoring in the field of excise related to the market transaction price of tobacco products at retail selling sites. (DOC. ANTARA)

BANJARMASIN - Banjarmasin Customs Office, South Kalimantan, carried out an operation to crack down illegal cigarettes in Banjarbaru City and Martapura City.

In this operation, 76,100 illegal cigarettes were found with a potential state loss of IDR 65 million.

"This illegal cigarette evidence was found in a number of retail selling sites," said Head of the Banjarmasin Customs Office Edy Susetyo in Banjarmasin, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, April 8.

The prosecution by Customs and Excise is part of the operation of the excisable goods market to prevent the circulation of illegal cigarettes which causes potential leakage of state revenue.

Edy called the activity a Customs and Excise effort in optimizing excise as a fiscal instrument in controlling excisable goods in accordance with statutory regulations.

In addition to taking action, the Banjarmasin Customs Office carried out "monitoring" in the field of excise related to the market transaction price of tobacco products at retail sales sites, both modern and traditional stores.

During the March 2023 period, six areas in South Kalimantan were visited by the Customs and Excise Team to find out the latest developments in the price of tobacco products, namely Banjarmasin City, Banjarbaru City, Barito Kuala Regency, Tapin Regency, Hulu Sungai Utara Regency, and Balangan Regency.

During "monitoring", he said, officers educate traders not to sell illegal cigarettes because it can harm the public and state finances.

The characteristics of illegal cigarettes include fake excise stamps, cigarettes without excise stamps, used excise stamps, and fake excise stamp cigarettes.