Police Failed Circulation Of 1 Million Illegal Cigarettes In Jember

Officers confiscate evidence of illegal cigarettes without excise stamps in Jember, Monday (15/8/2022). ANTARA/HO-Polsek Sukorambi

JEMBER - Police officers thwarted the circulation of illegal cigarettes without excise stamps of more than 1 million cigarettes brought by trucks in Jember Regency, East Java.

"We received a report from the police at the Sukorambi Police Sector who secured a truck loaded with cigarettes without excise stamps," said Yonny Hariono, Functional Officer of the Jember Customs Office, as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, August 15.

According to the officer's count, the total number of cigarettes confiscated by the police was 1,028,000 illegal cigarettes, and the potential loss per excise band was around Rp725.

If the state loss is estimated at more than IDR 745 million, then all proceeds from the crackdown on illegal cigarettes are handed over to the Jember Customs Office for processing in accordance with statutory provisions.

Sukorambi Police Chief Iptu Agus Yudi said that the illegal cigarette trade was revealed after two police officers suspected a truck parked on the side of the road, in Hamlet Mencek Village, Sukorambi District.

"When approached by officers conducting patrols, the two people who were in the truck fled, so the police became increasingly suspicious of the cargo in the truck," he said.

He explained that the police then checked and saw the cargo in the truck and found hundreds of boxes containing cigarettes of various brands without excise stamps.

"We secured the truck to the Sukorambi Police, because the driver and his friend fled. Further investigations will be carried out regarding the findings of the illegal cigarettes," he said.

According to him, the police continued to investigate the owner of the vehicle and two people who fled from the truck numbered S 9123 ND which was parked on the side of the Dukuh Mencek Village road.

In the Law on Excise No. 39 of 2007 states that violations in distributing and selling illegal cigarettes are criminal and can be subject to imprisonment for a minimum of one year and a maximum of five years, as well as a fine of at least twice the excise value and a maximum of 10 times the excise value. which should be paid.