JAKARTA - The Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance has uncovered illegal used clothing imports (balpres) in Jakarta and West Kalimantan.
From the operation, the government estimates that the total value of the goods secured reached more than IDR 54 billion.
Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa emphasized that the government would not stop eradicating illegal import practices that harmed the country.
"The government is committed to continuing to take firm action against illegal import practices which are compliant business actors and the community," he said in a press conference, Tuesday, June 23.
According to him, action against similar cases continues to be carried out continuously, although not all of them are published.
"Actually, every week there are reports that are caught for cases like this," he said.
The first case disclosure was carried out at the Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, namely the officers found 43 containers suspected of containing used clothes imported illegally.
The findings were then developed to lead to a number of warehouses in West Kalimantan which were suspected to be the location of large-scale balpres storage.
On the same occasion, Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama, explained that the action against illegal imports of used clothing was part of efforts to maintain compliance with customs regulations while protecting the domestic industry from unhealthy competition.
"Customs will continue to strengthen supervision of the entry and circulation of illegal imported goods, including used clothing. This action is a tangible form of our commitment to protecting domestic industries, maintaining a healthy business climate, and ensuring that all business actors comply with the provisions of laws and regulations in the field of customs," he said.
This case began with intelligence information regarding the alleged delivery of used clothing using the KM Eden Mas which sailed from Pontianak to Tanjung Priok carrying 268 containers, with 46 containers containing cargo and the rest in an empty condition.
Based on the notification document, the cargo carried was instant noodles, general cargo, and moving goods.
After the ship arrived at Tanjung Priok Port on June 15, 2026, the joint Customs team conducted an inspection of all loaded containers, and the scan results showed that 43 containers were suspected of containing balpres so they were immediately secured for further inspection.
Until June 22, 2026, physical examinations have been carried out on 19 containers and 2,067 bales containing used clothes, bags, and accessories were found, so that in total, the number of items in the 43 containers is estimated to reach 4,687 bales with an assumption of a value of around IDR 8 million per bale, so that the total economic value is estimated to reach IDR 37.5 billion.
The investigation then continued to West Kalimantan and on June 19-21, 2026, a joint team carried out operations at a number of warehouses in Kubu Raya Regency and Mempawah Regency.
Meanwhile, in Kubu Raya, officers found four trucks that were unloading hundreds of bales of illegal used clothes.
Meanwhile, in Mempawah, a warehouse storing thousands of bales of balpres was secured and from both locations, officers seized around 2,060 bales of imported used clothes with an estimated value of IDR 16.48 billion.
Customs confirmed that this case violated the provisions of the Customs Law as well as a number of related criminal articles. In addition to violating import rules, the illegal circulation of used clothing is considered to be able to disrupt the national textile industry and potentially pose a health risk to the community.
Djaka added that the success of the disclosure of this case was the result of synergy between the Customs, BAIS TNI, Prosecutor's Office, and Korwas Police Investigators.
The collaboration is considered important to break the chain of distribution of illegal imported goods from suppliers to the sales network.
Djaka emphasized that currently, the investigation process is still ongoing to identify the parties responsible for the import, storage, and distribution of illegal used clothing.
"Law enforcement will be carried out professionally, transparently, and without discrimination in accordance with applicable regulations," he explained.
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