Riau Islands-Custom Police Fails To Smuggle 100 Koli Balpres

JAKARTA - The Ditreskrimsus of the Riau Islands Police together with Customs and Excise Batam thwarted the smuggling of illegal used imported goods (ballpres) from Singapore by entrusting them as port passenger goods.

The Director of Criminal Investigation at the Riau Islands Police, Kombes Silvester Simamora, said that the results of this collaboration were found to be around 100 koli or balpres who entered from abroad containing used clothes at the Batam Center International Ferry Port in the period 7-8 December 2025.

"Then on December 8, Sub-Directorate I Indagsi of the Riau Islands Police also found approximately 20 sacks of remaining proceeds from the sale, 11 suitcases and 8 backpacks suspected of used goods that were not in accordance with the regulations," said Silvester at the Riau Islands Police Headquarters, Tuesday, December 9.

From the investigation, he said, four suspected perpetrators were arrested, namely S, AG, RH and AA, who are currently still in the process of investigating investigators.

The four alleged perpetrators were caught carrying bags containing used goods and clothes, some were entrusted to bring the goods with wages.

Batam Customs Head Zaky Firmansyah explained that the entry of these illegal used import clothes in addition to harming the state also has the potential to carry the risk of disease.

"This (ballpres) activity causes losses to the domestic textile and MSME industries," he said.

Zaky revealed that the mode most often used, especially in passengers from abroad, is to enter illegal used clothes through suitcases or luggage.

"The mode is as if the passengers' personal belongings, such as personaluse, such as going abroad, carrying a suitcase built with personal equipment, when they are camouflaged like that, even though the contents are used clothes from imports," said Zaky.

According to Zaky, in taking action on the balpres mode of passenger goods, Customs and Excise takes action upstream while the police are downstream (outside the customs area).

"In the last months, we have collaborated with other stakeholders and continue to continue, each agency cannot work alone, but with our collaboration we are strong in monitoring the circulation of goods that enter or leave," said Zaky.

This case was then transferred to Batam Customs for further processing, the perpetrator is suspected of violating Article 103 letter D in conjunction with Article 102 letter E of Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 concerning Customs.