The Government Tightens The Circulation Of Illegal Cell Phones In The Country

Coordination Meeting of the Director General of Customs and Excise with Kominfo (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communication and Information, and all Cellular Operators are committed to preventing the circulation of illegal telecommunication devices that harm the public, industry, operators, and the country through the control of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

Director General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) Heru Pambudi said IMEI control was implemented to ensure the protection of consumers of telecommunications equipment in buying and using legal or legal equipment.

Heru said this control was reflected in the one-time action carried out by the Ministry of Finance's directorate general of customs and excise in 2019 with the value of goods reaching Rp. 61.8 billion. However, Heru did not specify the total state losses from the circulation of illegal goods.

"Yesterday (2019) we took action once, a total of 20732 units worth Rp. 61.8 billion using high speed craft. From outside, most of them were from China. The prosecution was carried out in Banten. The losses have been hundreds of billions (from the circulation of illegal goods). ), "said Heru, when met at the Office of the Ministry of Communication and Information, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Friday, February 28.

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance welcomes this policy. Heru said this policy was very positive because of its principle to stop illegal cell phones from entering the country.

"Oraang wants to smuggle and wants to be used, it's useless. So that our estimation will eliminate the intention to smuggle," he said.

The process of restricting the use of connected mobile devices, through cellular networks through IMEI control, is in accordance with applicable three ministerial regulations. This restriction starts on April 18, 2020. The scheme used is whitelist, namely the process of controlling IMEI in a preventive manner so that the public knows in advance the legality of the equipment to be purchased.

"The ministerial decree is under the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade, Kominfo and we (Directorate General of Customs and Excise) to execute it in the field," he explained.

Heru said, if people who want to buy cellular devices from abroad after this policy is implemented, they will be subject to import taxes. However, this only applies to phones with prices above 500 US dollars. This cellphone must also be registered online before arriving in Indonesia.

"So the first is that the government must prepare the means so that it is easy. So as conveyed this is online. We have actually prepared, we are working with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Communication and Information. The template already exists, but it is still in the trial phase," he said.

Registering the IMEI also applies to purchasing cellphones with an online system. Not only that, said Heru, the purchase of cellphones from abroad is also limited to a maximum of two units.

"So if he is a shipment before it is cleared, he has an obligation to pay. When it is finished he is already safe. If he forgets, he is not registered, it will be blocked. Can not be used. We'll talk about the mechanism later," he explained.

According to Heru, the system for cellphone traders is different from those purchased by individuals. Especially for sellers, there will be a trade channel. "Yes, the provisions must be different regarding the luggage with the luggage. Or consignments," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade's Director General of Foreign Trade, Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana, said that supervision of the circulation of illegal cell phones is already in the Ministry of Trade Regulation number 69 of 2012 concerning the implementation of supervision of goods and services.

"So if the IMEI is found to be unregistered or illegal, it will be subject to sanctions. There are two sanctions. Administrative and criminal sanctions. So it is clear that if later found in the field or shopping centers these items are illegal, it will be subject to sanctions and actually logically. if it is illegal, it will be difficult to enter (into Indonesia). Whoever wants to enter, the system will automatically reject it and the possibility is very small (to enter), "he said.

Wisnu said that this sanction rule will take effect after April 18, 2020. Therefore, he reminded, that before deciding to buy mobile devices, handheld computers, and tablet computers (HKT), they should check the IMEI on the Ministry of Industry's website, namely imei.kemenperin.go. TED en

"This system prevents friends, the public will not be able to get a signal whose IMEI is not registered on the whitelist system. So there is no need to buy a signal that does not get a signal," he said.