Customs And Excise Destroys 99 Thousand Illegal Cigarettes Confiscated By Burning

The Regent of Tulungagung Maryoto Birowo (right) and the Head of Supervision and Service of the Pratama Blitar Customs Office Akhiyat Mujayin (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - More than 99 thousand cigarettes illegally confiscated by the Blitar Regency Customs Service and Supervision Office in Tulungagung, East Java, were destroyed by burning in the yard of the local government office, Tuesday, December 7.

The extermination ceremony, which was also attended by the Regent of Tulungagung Maryoto Birowo and the forkopimda ranks, was carried out in the context of education as well as a deterrent effect to the public or business actors who are still determined to produce packaged cigarettes without official excise from the government.

"(It) is burned so that it cannot be enjoyed or traded," said Head of the Blitar Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office, Akhiyat Mujayin confirmed after the activity, reported by Antara, Tuesday, December 7.

A total of 99,056 illegal cigarettes were burned in the Tulungagung district government office. According to Ahyat, the packaged cigarettes without excise stamps were confiscated from a series of surveillance operations in traditional markets.

"The cigarettes circulating in Tulungagung are not from Tulungagung, it can cause cigarette factories in Tulungagung to suffer losses," he added.

The implementation of illegal cigarette operations is usually carried out by Customs and Excise officials in collaboration with local governments. The operating budget comes from the tobacco excise revenue-sharing fund that has been received by the district government.

The government's own role in socializing the ban on illegal cigarettes is considered quite effective.

Circulation of illegal cigarettes is usually in people with low purchasing power, such as suburban areas. As for Tulungagung, the circulation of illegal cigarettes is mostly found in the southern part of Tulungagung.

In this illegal cigarette operation, his party did not determine the suspect. His party argued that these illegal cigarettes were obtained from market operations.

"In market operations, this is more of a persuasive approach," he explained.

However, for large agents and producers, there is a penalty of imprisonment of up to five years.