11,000 Iphone 16 Units Escape Entering Indonesia Until November 2024, Ministry Of Industry Threatens To Disable IMEI

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) noted that the number of iPhone 16 products entering Indonesia through the passenger luggage route from abroad from October 25, 2024 to November 10, 2024 rose by around 2,000 units.

Thus, the accumulated number of iPhone 16 that has entered Indonesia has reached around 11,000 units from August to November 2024.

"This is the subject of the attention of the Minister (Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita) to consider disabling the IMEI (iPhone 16) which has been proven to be traded in Indonesia," said Ministry of Industry spokesman Febri Hendri Antoni Arif at a press conference at his office, Thursday, November 21.

Febri said the Ministry of Industry is currently monitoring the sale and purchase transaction of iPhone 16 products in the country. He claims that his ministry has a re-screening mechanism to ensure that the IPhone series 16 product that enters through the passenger's luggage line does not change hands.

"If there is evidence to be traded, we will be ready to deactivate it," he said.

Even so, Febri said, that the Ministry of Industry has not yet coordinated with law enforcement officials to follow up on the sale of the iPhone product series 16. According to him, his ministry is still able to overcome the problem itself.

"As a result, we do not (coordinate with law enforcement officials). We can do it ourselves, we create a mechanism to rearrange. It will be easy later, you see if the cellphone is used by someone who holds the passport or not. Later, we will make a mechanism for how to find it," he said.

Previously, Febri said, since August-October, the Ministry of Industry noted that around 9,000 units of iPhone series 16 entered Indonesia via passenger luggage. This product, said Febri, entered legally by paying taxes.

"These phones enter legally, but will become illegal if traded in Indonesia," said Febri, quoted from his written statement on Friday, October 25.

He emphasized that the government still prohibits the sale of iPhone 16 in the country. Because, until now, the Ministry of Industry has not issued a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) certificate for Apple's newest product.