JAKARTA - The West Java Provincial Government has prepared an online complaint application accompanied by incentives for the public to strengthen supervision and suppress the circulation of illegal cigarettes.
"Later we will make an online complaint reporting application, whoever reports will be given a gift," said West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi in a statement in Bandung, quoted by Antara, Saturday, June 27.
According to him, community involvement is important to break the chain of illegal cigarette circulation from upstream to downstream. Therefore, he appealed to traders and consumers not to sell or buy cigarettes without official taxes.
"If no one sells, then of course it will not be bought," he said.
The plan to launch the application was conveyed by Dedi when he led the destruction of more than 44 million illegal cigarettes worth Rp65.1 billion in the Garut Regency Square, Wednesday (24/6), together with the Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama.
The destruction was the first in 2026 and came from the results of enforcement during the period from July 2025 to May 2026 by the West Java Directorate General of Customs and Excise together with the West Java Provincial Police Pamong Praja Unit with the support of the Tobacco Excise Revenue Sharing Fund (DBHCHT).
The operation saved the potential loss of the state of Rp32.9 billion.
After the joint destruction ceremony with the Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama and Garut Regent Abdusy Syakur Amin, all evidence was taken to PT Mukti Mandiri Lestari in Purwakarta Regency to be destroyed.
On that occasion, Djaka reminded illegal cigarette dealers that they could be charged with Law Number 39 of 2007 with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to ten times the tax value.
"Prevention through increasing public awareness will always be a better step than enforcement," said Djaka.
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