IAW asks KPK to develop Customs case, not to stop at Blueray

JAKARTA - Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW) asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to develop allegations of bribes and gratification of goods imports in the environment of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC). This case should not stop at just one forwarder, namely Blueray Cargo.

"KPK is strong in opening cases, but it is not clear enough to explain its development map," said IAW Founding Secretary Iskandar Sitorus to reporters, Friday, June 19.

Iskandar highlighted the emergence of a number of clusters in this case, such as the involvement of other forwarders, cigarette taxes, containers at the Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang, alleged brokers of the case, to alleged obstruction of the investigation. Thus, the case which started from a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) should be the entrance to dismantle the alleged wider practices in the customs sector.

"If Blue Ray is the entrance, the door must lead investigators into a longer corridor. Not a fence that closes other networks," he said.

Furthermore, IAW highlighted the KPK's statement that it had previously said it had examined more than 20 forwarding companies in various ports. Iskandar assessed that the information showed that the case under investigation had a wider scope than the construction of the case currently being rolled out in court.

Therefore, he asked the KPK to provide an explanation regarding the position of these companies in the ongoing investigation.

"If the 20 forwarders are only witnesses of comparison, say. If some of them have the potential to increase their status, explain the general parameters. If the evidence is not enough, convey the problem proportionally," he said.

Apart from the forwarder, IAW also assessed that the public had not received a complete picture of the relationship between the clusters that emerged in the case.

He also reminded that the alleged import bribes were not mixed with other clusters such as the cigarette tax case or the alleged broker of the case that also emerged in the investigation process.

"Don't let the evidence and narrative mix so that the public thinks all clusters are the same thing," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the alleged obstruction of the investigation, Iskandar asked the KPK to clearly distinguish between criticism of the process of handling cases, non-litigation professional activities, and actions that actually meet the elements of obstruction of justice.

"Don't let criticism of the investigation be automatically seen as an obstacle. The KPK must remain open to criticism, especially in a case as big as Customs," he said.

IAW also questioned the limitation of the period of the case, which is currently being prosecuted from July 2025 to January 2026. According to Iskandar, if the pattern found is systemic, then the investigation should be developed to a longer period as long as it is supported by evidence.

"Legally, investigators can limit the time of the crime according to the initial evidence. But if there is a pattern of repeated, other forwarders, safe houses, money flows, and tax clusters, the limitation of the period must be explained rationally," he said.

Finally, IAW also encourages the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) to conduct an investigative audit of the import supervision system, especially regarding the potential leakage of state revenues.

"The state should not be satisfied with arrests. The state must dismantle the system," said Iskandar.

According to him, major cases in the customs sector must be able to answer broader issues than just proving who the giver and recipient of bribes are. "Not based on a narrative," he concluded.