Tricks Of Perpetrators, Smuggling Illegal Cigarettes In Dry Noodle Transport Trucks In Jepara, Total Reaches 961,000 Sticks

KUDUS - The Customs Service and Supervision Office (KPPBC) Madya Kudus, Central Java, together with a joint team thwarted the distribution of illegal cigarettes by using a truck transporting dry noodle commodities from Jepara Regency on Jalan Raya Subah.

"The evidence that was secured was 961,000 cigarettes with a value of Rp. 1.1 billion, while the potential for state revenue that was saved was Rp. 733.9 million," said Head of the Extension and Information Services Section of the Middle-Type KPPBC Kudus Dwi Prasetyo Rini in Kudus, Between, Sunday, February 6th.

The case of illegal cigarettes was successfully uncovered with a team from the Regional Office of DJBC Central Java and DIY and Tegal Customs starting from information on a truck loaded with illegal cigarettes from Jepara on February 5, 2022.

The joint team finally managed to find a truck with the following characteristics as informed, driving on Jalan Raya Subah, Batang. The team immediately stopped the truck and took action and the results of the inspection found 59 sacks of illegal cigarettes in ready-to-distribute packages without excise tape attached.

The total evidence was 952,000 cigarettes of machine-made kretek (SKM) cigarettes, with an estimated value of Rp1.1 billion.

According to the driver's information with the initials WA, the cigarettes were obtained from the initials MR, whose address is at Kalipucang Wetan Village, Jepara. Furthermore, from MR's house, one carton containing 9,000 cigarettes was confiscated with an item value of Rp. 10.26 million.

Cigarettes are excisable goods which must have excise stamps attached to their marketing or sales. Cigarettes found in this investigation were not attached with excise stamps, so they were categorized as illegal cigarettes which was a violation of the Excise Law.

Perpetrators of violations of illegal cigarettes can be punished with imprisonment of 1-8 years and a fine of up to 20 times the value of the excise tax that should be paid. The state does not prohibit people from producing cigarettes, as long as they comply with legal provisions.

In order to obtain a permit for the Entrepreneur's Identification Number for Excisable Goods (NPPBKC) as a step to legally produce cigarettes, it can be done at the Kudus Customs Office easily and free of charge.