Illegal Cigarettes Without Excise Still Circulating In West Bangka

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The West Bangka Regency Government together with the Pangkalpinang Customs Office, Bangka Belitung Islands Province have eradicated the circulation of cigarettes without excise to maintain state revenue.

"As a first step, we carry out socialization to the public and traders so that they understand the characteristics of illegal cigarettes and can prevent their distribution independently," said West Bangka Regent Sukirman in Mentok, Tuesday, May 31, quoted from Antara.

In addition, he said, socialization will also be carried out by related agencies by installing various socialization props, such as banners, posters, billboards and other types in a number of strategic places, markets and ports.

"We are also cooperating with the Pangkalpinang Customs and Excise Office. The Cooperative, SME and Industry Service, and the Communications and Informatics Service will help disseminate information regarding illegal cigarettes so as not to harm the state," he said.

Head of the Pangkalpinang Customs Representative Office, Agung Hermawan, said officers had found several samples of cigarettes and other goods without excise in West Bangka Regency.

"Last week we conducted a market operation and found illegal cigarettes, for that we want to invite the West Bangka Regency Government to jointly minimize the circulation of these illegal goods by utilizing media managed by the Regency Government," said Agung.

He explained that the so-called illegal cigarettes are cigarettes without excise stamps or commonly referred to as plain cigarettes, cigarettes with fake excise stamps, cigarettes with incorrectly designated excise stamps, and used excise tapes.

"After socialization using the media, we will also conduct direct socialization to cigarette sellers," he said.

He said, in 2021, the Pangkalpinang Customs and Excise carried out handling in the form of 63 actions, consisting of 51 actions on tobacco products, one action on drinks containing ethyl alcohol (MMEA), 10 actions on narcotics, and one other action, while in 2022 there were 31 prosecutions. namely 21 prosecutions for tobacco products, six prosecutions for MMEA, two prosecutions for narcotics, psychotropics, and precursors (NPP), and two prosecutions for drugs.

Specifically in the West Bangka Regency area, he said, in 2021 the Pangkalpinang Customs and Excise had carried out 22 actions against tobacco products and confiscated evidence of 30,140 cigarettes, while in 2022 there were four prosecutions with a total of 6,420 cigarettes as evidence.

"We have also given sanctions to the perpetrators according to the level of the violation they committed," he said.