Large Arrest Of Langsa Customs And Excise, 2 Million Illegal Cigarette Rods With A Value Nearly Rp. 4 Billion

Illegal cigarettes worth Rp4 billion were secured at the Langsa Customs Office, Aceh, Wednesday (12/10/2022). ANTARA/HO-Humas Customs and Excise Langsa

PEKANBARU - The Langsa Customs Patrol team thwarted the smuggling of two million illegal cigarettes with a value of up to Rp. 4 billion in the Madat area, East Aceh Regency. Head of the Customs Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office, Customs C Kuala Langsa Sulaiman, said the two million illegal cigarettes were secured from trucks transported from Pekanbaru, Riau, to Bireuen Regency, Aceh. "The truck was arrested on Thursday, October 6 at around 00.40 WIB after the patrol team chased the transportation carrying the illegal cigarettes," said Sulaiman in Langsa, Antara, Wednesday, October 11. Sulaiman said that the disclosure of the illegal cigarette smuggling attempt began with information from the public who said that there was a shipment of cigarettes without excise using trucks to Aceh Province. From this information, the Langsa Customs and Excise patrol team monitored the truck that was crossing. Then, the team found the truck as informed. The team had followed the truck to the East Aceh Regency "The truck carrying illegal cigarettes was finally stopped on the Medan-Banda Aceh national road, in the Madat District, East Aceh Regency," said Sulaiman. Upon inspection, the team found cigarettes without being attached to the Luffman brand excise with a total of two million cigarettes. Furthermore, the illegal cigarettes were taken to the Kuala Langsa customs office, Langsa City, Aceh. "The total potential loss to the state saved from the smuggling of the two million cigarettes reached Rp. 2.5 billion. Meanwhile, the value of cigarettes reached more than Rp. 4 billion," said Sulaiman. Sulaiman said the smuggling of illegal cigarettes was a criminal offense as regulated in Article 54 of Law Number 39 of 2007 concerning Excise. The law confirms that everyone offers, submits, sells, or provides excisable goods, but no excise tape is attached. The minimum penalty is one year and a maximum of five years. As well as a maximum fine of 10 times the excise value that must be paid, said Sulaiman. "This action not only protects the public from the potential dangers of illegal goods, but also the real efforts of customs in securing state revenues," said Sulaiman.