Pandemic Makes Income Decline, Smokers In Bengkulu Even Look For Cheaper Illegal Cigarettes

Ilustrasi Photo by Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash

JAKARTA - The Bengkulu Customs and Excise Office confiscated around 259,400 illegal cigarettes of various brands. Of all regencies, the largest area found was in Bengkulu.

First Functional Expert of Customs and Excise Information Services Section KPPBC TMP C Bengkulu Dadang Sudarmadi said, illegal cigarettes were found in six areas and mostly in Bengkulu City.

Besides Bengkulu City, his party also confiscated the cigarettes from Central Bengkulu Regency, Kepahiang Regency, Rejang Lebong Regency, Seluma Regency and Lebong Regency.

Meanwhile, in other areas, such as North Bengkulu Regency, South Bengkulu Regency, Kaur Regency and Mukomuko Regency, no action has been taken.

"Regarding the number, usually at the end of the year there is always an increase in the discovery of illegal cigarettes and currently only hundreds of thousands have been confiscated," said Dadang. Wednesday, June 22, quoted from Antara.

He explained that the high circulation of illegal cigarettes in Bengkulu Province was due to the Bengkulu Province being a plantation area, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic and falling prices of plantation products, the Bengkulu people's economy declined.

As a result, people switch to using illegal cigarettes, because the price is cheaper than the price of legal cigarettes.

Therefore, the public is asked to report to the office or social media of KPPBC TMP C Bengkulu if they find illegal cigarette circulation.

"We hope to confiscate more illegal cigarettes even though there are positive and negative expectations, for example if many are confiscated, it means Bengkulu is a place for illegal cigarettes to circulate," he said.