Kejari Garut Proses Hukum Distributor Cigarette Illegal Yang Rugikan Negara Hampir Half Miliar

Head of the Garut District Attorney's Office Halila Rama Purnama during a press conference on the handling of illegal cigarette law in Garut Regency, West Java, Friday (4/8/2023). (ANTARA/Feri Purnama)

GARUT - The Garut District Attorney's Office (Kejari) is processing the law of an illegal or excise cigarette distributor in Garut Regency, West Java, to account for his actions because it has caused state losses of estimated at IDR 491 million.

"After going through the case research, we have declared P21, and today again I convey it is the submission of the suspect and evidence," said Head of the Garut Kejari Halila Rama Purnama as reported by ANTARA, Friday, August 4.

The suspect with the initials IS is an agent or distributor selling illegal cigarettes at a shop in Cinisti Village, Bayongbong District, Garut, who was arrested by joint officers from Customs and other law enforcers during an operation to control illegal cigarettes on July 7, 2023.

The shop owner, said Halila, was then secured for legal proceedings, along with the evidence of cigarettes as many as 735,320 sticks in which there were no excise packages, and four-wheeled vehicles were also secured.

"At that time, in the Bayongbong area, Garut Regency, 735,320 stems of excisable goods were found from tobacco products that were not equipped with excise stamps," he said.

The case of selling illegal cigarettes is currently complete with the investigation process for further trial proceedings.

The suspect violated Article 54 in conjunction with Article 56 of Law Number 39 of 2007 concerning amendments to Law in 2005 concerning Excise, Jo of Law Number 7 of 2001 concerning Harmonization of Tax Regulations.

"Hopefully in the near future the person concerned will be delegated soon," said Kajari Garut.