Regarding The Fake Excise Band Case, Kudus Customs And Excise Guard To Court Decision

JAKARTA - The Customs Supervision and Service Office (KPPBC) Type Madya Kudus, Central Java, managed to oversee the case of fake cigarette excise stamps with evidence of 4,500 pieces of hand-kretek cigarettes (SKT) to the decision of the Kudus District Court.

"Finally, this case was successfully decided and the legal force remained on May 8, 2025," said Head of the Kudus Customs Office Lenni Ika Wahyudiasti quoting Antara.

He said the commitment to eradicating the circulation of fake excise tape was realized through the disclosure of the case on January 22, 2025 which involved three actors acting as buyers, intermediaries, and providers.

Not only did it stop at the arrest, Kudus Customs and Excise also actively oversee the investigation process, hand over the suspect and evidence to the Kudus District Attorney on March 20, 2025, to ensure that this case continues to the prosecution stage at the Kudus District Court on April 17, 2025.

"Finally, this case was successfully decided with permanent legal force on May 8, 2025," he said.

Lenni revealed that the fake excise tape distribution network was uncovered by Kudus Customs and Excise, starting with information that a car was used to transport excise stamps that were suspected to be fake from the Kudus area.

To follow up on this information, officers conducted a sweep on Jalan Lingkar Utara Kudus, until they managed to find and stop the target car that was passing on Jalan Raya Kudus-Colo towards a printing company in Bacin Village, Jekulo District, Kudus Regency.

From the target car driven by SA (31), officers found three RIR excise stamps which were suspected to be fake and had been cut off. Meanwhile, from a printing house in Bacin Village, officers found six other suspected fake excise stamps which had just been handed over by SA to a printing company for cutting. Based on SA's confession, he received an allegedly fake excise tape from the US (52) which is located at Hadipolo Village, Jekulo District, Kudus Regency.

The search was carried out at the US residence and found 16 excise stamps that were suspected to be fake and had not been cut. Also arrested by another perpetrator, namely RN (47) in Loram Wetan Village, Jati District, Kudus Regency, which was based on the confession of SA acting as the giver of orders to hold excise stamps allegedly fake.

Buying, storing, using, selling, offering, handing over, and providing for the sale of fake excise stamps violates Article 55 letter b of Law Number 39 of 2007 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 1995 concerning Excise as has been amended recently by Law Number 7 of 2021 concerning Harmonization of Tax Regulations jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code carries a minimum imprisonment of 1 year and a maximum of 8 years as well as a fine of at least 8 times the excise value and a maximum of 10 times the excise value that should be paid.

Of the criminal acts committed by the three suspects, the potential for state revenue that was not fulfilled was Rp1.34 billion from the Excise Value, VAT, and Cigarette Tax.

"Our appreciation is conveyed to the Prosecutor's Office of Kudus and the Kudus District Court for the synergy with Customs and Excise in law enforcement in the field of excise. From this case we can convey to the public that original and official excise stamps can only be ordered and taken at the Customs Office. Hopefully the verdict against the three suspects will be a lesson for the public not to commit violations in the field of excise," he said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Kudus District Court Khalid Sorodinda confirmed the decision on the case of a fake excise tape with the defendant Ratna Dwi Haryani on May 8, 2025. The defendant was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison and a fine of Rp. 7.9 billion, provided that if the fine was not paid, it was replaced with imprisonment for three months.

The same verdict was also handed down to two other defendants, namely Agus Suwito and Sirojuddin Asyhar.