Dossier 3 Suspects Of Cigarette Excise Band Counterfeiting Network Almost Complete, Session Will Be Held In Pati

Checking the authenticity of excise stamps for cigarette products. (doc Customs)

PATI - Customs and Excise revealed that the cigarette excise band distribution network was allegedly fake by securing 89,880 pieces of excise tape in Central Java (Central Java). "In addition, we also named a suspect against the buyer, seller, and provider of cigarette excise stamps suspected of being fake as many as 749 pieces of excise tape or 89,880 pieces," said Head of KPPBC Type Madya Kudus Lenni Ika Wahyudiasti during a press conference at the Pati District Attorney's office hall, Thursday, August 8, confiscated by Antara.

The disclosure of the case, he said, began with information about the supply of fake excise bands to East Java. Then the joint team consisting of Kudus Customs and Excise at the Central Java Regional Office of Yogyakarta, as well as Customs and Excise of the East Java Regional Office II carried out an action operation by stopping a black Mitsubishi L300 pick-up with the number E 8365 MK on Jalan Raya Pati-Kudus Kilometer 4, Margorejo Village, Pati Regency, Central Java on June 12, 2024 at 00.15 WIB.

From inside the car, 749 pieces of excise tape were found which were allegedly fake hidden behind the passenger seats and 10 sacks of tobacco in the back tub.

Based on sufficient preliminary evidence, MN (57) from Jepara was named a suspect, while the AK driver (45) and US passenger (46) were witnesses. In developing the case, he said, the suspect MN admitted to getting an excise stamp from the initials M (52) which is located at Purwogondo, Kalinyamatan, Jepara.

Meanwhile, suspect M got it from suspect K (47) who lives in Sembungharjo, Genuk, Semarang City. "We are also still investigating the supplier of fake excise tape to K, which we are currently setting as a wanted list (DPO)," he said.

On Thursday 8 August, this case was transferred to the Pati District Attorney (Kejari) along with the suspects and evidence for the prosecution process. For this action, the perpetrator was threatened with Article 55 letter b of Law Number 39/2007 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11/1995 concerning Excise with a minimum imprisonment of one year and a maximum of eight years as well as a fine of at least 10 times the excise value and a maximum of 20 times the excise value that should be paid.

The potential state losses from criminal acts committed by the three suspects MN, M, and K from excise, VAT, and cigarette taxes totaled Rp22.16 million. Head of the Attorney General's Office Pati Pipiet Suryo Priarto Wibowo revealed that the case files of the three suspects MN, M and K had been formally and materially researched by the Prosecutor's Team (JPU) Kejari Pati and had been declared complete. "The file has met the requirements to be submitted to trial. In the near future it will be transferred to the Pati District Court (PN) to get a decision," he said.