Kudus Customs Officers Find 895.480 Illegal Cigarettes Sold Through E-Commerce

Office of Supervision and Service of Customs and Excise of the Intermediate Type of Excise, Kudus, Central Java (ANTARA)

KUDUS - The Customs and Excise Service and Supervision Office (KPPBC) for the Intermediate Excise Type in Kudus, Central Java, has again revealed the circulation of illegal cigarettes offered through electronic commerce or e-commerce. A total of 895.480 illegal cigarettes were confiscated as evidence.

"The disclosure of the case is the result of an officer's analysis of sales and purchases through electronic trading," said Head of the Counseling and Information Service Section of the Middle-Type KPPBC, Kudus, Dwi Prasetyo Rini, in Kudus, Antara, Monday, March 28.

Kudus Customs and Excise has twice disclosed cases of illegal cigarette sales through electronic trading with 183.640 cigarettes confiscated. While the latest cases reached 895.480 stems.

Information on illegal cigarettes is known by officers from the public. The officers carried out an investigation until they finally arrived at the transport truck on Jalan Raya Welahan, Jepara, in the early hours of Tuesday, March 22.

The truck carrying the goods was then inspected and found a number of packages suspected of containing illegal cigarettes. The package was secured and the truck driver was questioned.

Based on the results of the inspection, there were 515 packages containing illegal cigarettes of various brands with details as many as 830.120 illegal cigarettes without excise stamps attached and 65.360 illegal cigarettes with fake excise tapes attached.

The estimated value of illegal cigarettes is IDR 1.02 billion and the potential state revenue that has been saved is IDR 681.15 million. All goods resulting from further action are being taken to the Kudus Customs Office for further processing in accordance with applicable regulations.

In marketing cigarettes that are excisable goods, the original excise tape must be attached. Cigarettes found were not affixed to excise stamps and some were affixed to fake excise stamps, so they were categorized as illegal cigarettes.