Batam Customs Failed To Smuggle 79 Koli Balpres From Singapore

Evidence of balpres smuggled from abroad using the mode of entering passengers on ferries from Singapore and Malaysia to Batam City, Thursday (3/12/2025). (ANTARA/HO-Bea Excise Batam)

Batam Customs and Excise, Riau Islands, thwarted efforts to smuggle 79 balpres (used clothes) from abroad with the mode of depositing passenger baggage from Singapore-Malaysia to porters and other efforts to avoid being examined by officers.

Head of the Batam Customs Office Zaky Firmansyah said the prosecution was carried out intensively through routine surveillance activities at the international passenger arrival terminal.

"The Customs and Excise officer conducted an analysis of passenger profiling and image of the x-ray engine on passenger baggage coming from Singapore and Malaysia," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, December 4.

He explained that the action of 79 colli balpres during the November 27-30 period belonged to passengers from Malaysia and Singapore who arrived at the Batam Center International Port.

Throughout this period, he said, Batam Customs and Excise had issued 18 evidence of prosecution (SBP) for the illegal clothing entry effort.

"The results of the examination found items in the form of used clothes and mixed goods in an unnatural amount so that they were not categorized as goods for personal use," he said.

According to him, in each finding, the goods are entrusted to the porter and the owner chooses to leave the goods when asked to be present for clarification.

"All items are then confirmed and sealed for further examination by officers," he said.

Zaky explained that the entry of used clothes from abroad was an illegal activity that violated Law Number 17 of 2008 concerning Customs, Government Regulation Number 41 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Free Trade Areas and Free Ports, as well as Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 40 of 2022 concerning Prohibited Exports and Import Prohibited Goods which strictly prohibits the income of used clothes into Indonesian territory.

This action, said Zaky, is in line with the direction of the Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadivewa, who emphasized the importance of eradicating illegal used clothing to protect the domestic textile and MSME industries from market damage due to illegal imports west.

"Batam Customs ensures full support for the national policy through increased supervision of all arrival routes for international passengers, both air and sea," he said.

Zaky also appealed to the public not to bring, trade, or be part of the circulation of clothing used for illegal imports.

According to him, these enforcement activities not only violate the law but also have the potential to pose a health risk and weaken the competitiveness of domestic textile products.