JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa emphasized that the government would expand law enforcement against the practice of illegal used clothing imports by not only confiscating goods, but also punishing parties involved in their transportation, including ship owners.
According to Purbaya, this step is necessary to create a deterrent effect for smugglers, because until now, law enforcement has only focused on confiscating illegal goods, while those who play a role in the transportation process often escape legal sanctions.
"We are looking for legal ways to detain ships or punish ships, or ship owners involved in activities like this. I am sure in the past it was usually just a release, just the detention of their goods," said Purbaya in a press conference, Tuesday, June 23.
He explained that the approach would follow the pattern of action that had been applied to the circulation of illegal cigarettes, and in this case, the police not only seized evidence, but also took action against vehicles and parties involved in the distribution process.
"Now we will do it like on land. On land, if there are producers, sellers, or illegal cigarette perpetrators, usually those who are detained are only the cigarettes, the car is released, the driver is released. Now I will detain the car and the driver as well to create a deterrent effect. Here it is the same, I will do it like that," he explained.
Regarding the party suspected of being responsible for the illegal import of used clothing, Purbaya said the government was still conducting an in-depth investigation with law enforcement officials.
He added that an investigation would be carried out to identify importers and other parties involved in the illegal distribution network.
"Later for the importer, we will investigate further in cooperation with the police. The Metro Police will follow up on the investigation and sentencing process. So in the future, those who do this cannot get away with it, the punishment will be stronger in the future," he said.
The statement was made following the success of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise in uncovering the practice of illegal used clothing imports or balpres in Jakarta and West Kalimantan with the value of goods secured estimated to be more than IDR 54 billion.
The first case was revealed at the Tanjung Priok Port after officers found 43 containers suspected of containing illegally imported used clothing, and the findings were then developed to lead to a number of storage locations in West Kalimantan.
The disclosure began with intelligence information regarding the KM Eden Mas ship which sailed from Pontianak to Tanjung Priok, and the ship carried 268 containers, consisting of 46 loaded containers and the rest were empty.
Based on the shipping documents, the recorded cargo includes instant noodles, general cargo, and moving goods. However, after the ship arrived at Tanjung Priok Port on June 15, 2026, an inspection using a scanner showed that 43 containers were suspected of containing balpes.
Until June 22, 2026, officers have inspected 19 containers and found 2,067 bales containing used clothes, bags, and accessories, and in total, the number of items in the 43 containers is estimated to reach 4,687 bales with an economic value of around IDR 37.5 billion.
The investigation was then expanded to West Kalimantan. In an operation that took place on June 19-21, 2026 in Kubu Raya Regency and Mempawah Regency, officers found thousands of illegal used clothing bales stored in a number of warehouses.
In Kubu Raya, officers found four trucks that were unloading balpress cargo. Meanwhile, in Mempawah, a warehouse used as a place to stockpile illegally imported used clothes was secured.
From both locations, the police confiscated around 2,060 bales of used clothes with an estimated value of IDR 16.48 billion.
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