JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating the management of cigarette taxes through businessman Liem Eng Hwie who was examined on Tuesday, March 31. The investigation was carried out to investigate alleged bribes and gratuities related to the import of goods at the Directorate General (Ditjen) of Customs and Excise.
"LEH who is a cigarette entrepreneur from Central Java was confirmed by investigators related to the process or mechanism carried out as a cigarette entrepreneur, yes, in handling taxes at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters quoted on Wednesday, April 1.
Budi said similar statements would actually be requested from two other cigarette entrepreneurs, namely Rokhmawan and Benny Tan. But, the two did not attend the call of investigators at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.
The information from these cigarette entrepreneurs is needed by investigators to make the case being investigated clear. "We want to see how the process and procedures are going, how it should be done, how the conditions on the ground are, yes," he said.
"Of course, the information and information from the witnesses who were summoned are to complete the investigation of the case that is currently underway," continued Budi.
The KPK previously suspected that there were cigarette manufacturers who gave bribes to the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) to circumvent taxes from the Java Island region. The findings were revealed after Budiman Bayu Prasojo as Head of the P2 Tax Intelligence Section of the DJBC was named a suspect and detained on Friday, February 27.
This determination is an expansion of the hand-in-hand operation (OTT) on February 4. At that time, six suspects were announced, one of which was the Director of Enforcement and Investigation of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (P2 DJBC) for the period 2024-2026, Rizal.
Then, it was also determined as a suspect, namely Sisprian Subiaksono (SIS) as Head of the Sub Directorate of Intelligence, Enforcement and Investigation of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Kasubdit Intel P2 DJBC); Orlando Hamonangan (ORL) as Head of the Intelligence Section of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (Kasi Intel DJBC); John Field (JF) as owner of PT Blueray (BR); Andri as Head of the Import Documents Team of PT BR; and Dedy Kurniawan as Operational Manager of PT BR.
"Currently, some of them are from Central Java and there are also East Java," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, March 2.
These cigarette entrepreneurs are suspected of buying tax tape at a lower rate in large quantities. In fact, there is a difference in tariffs for the results of manual home industry products and using machines.
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