1.4 Million Cigarettes And Illegal Goods Destroyed By Probolinggo Customs

Probolinggo Customs and Excise destroyed millions of illegal cigarettes in its office yard, Thursday, April 21. (ANTARA/HO-Customs Probolinggo)

PROBOLINGGO - Millions of cigarettes and illegal goods resulting from prosecution for violations during 2021 to March 2022 in the Probolinggo and Lumajang areas, East Java, were destroyed.

The destruction was carried out by the Probolinggo Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office. In addition to cigarettes, illegal alcoholic beverages, and illegally imported goods, were destroyed at the local customs office, Thursday, April 21.

"The destruction is proof of the synergy between Probolinggo Customs and Excise partners and a form of commitment in eradicating illegal excisable goods," said Head of the Probolinggo Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office Andi Hermawan in Probolinggo, Thursday, April 21.

He said his party was aggressively taking action against various violations in the customs and excise sector as a form of implementing the function of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise as a "Community Protector".

"The enforcement involves stakeholders from other agencies as supervisory partners such as the National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), the Prosecutor's Office and the regional government will optimize the supervisory function in the customs and excise sector," he said.

During 2021 to March 2022, Probolinggo Customs and Excise has carried out a series of actions in the field of customs and excise as many as 107 times.

In detail, the goods seized were 1.411.815 illegal cigarettes, 298.23 liters of illegal ethyl alcohol (MMEA) drinks, and imported goods that did not meet customs regulations.

"The total estimated value of the goods for the action is IDR 4.3 billion with a potential state loss of IDR 1.1 billion," he said, as reported by Antara.

Andi explained that state property needs to be destroyed because these items can have a negative impact on people's social life, one of which is a health threat.

"Besides that, Probolinggo Customs is also an effort to protect the domestic legal industry and secure state revenue rights," he concluded.