KPK Alleges Former Head Of Makassar Customs And Excise Receives Deposit From Illegal Cigarette Companies

KPK (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that former Head of Makassar Customs Andhi Pramono received a deposit to smuggle illegal cigarettes. This allegation strengthened after investigators searched the PT Fantasik Internasional office in Batam on Thursday, July 13.

"Later we will investigate (the alleged smuggling, ed). But what is certain is that in Batam there is one cigarette company, the suspicion is illegal without excise, but there are allegations of deposits to Customs officials and one of them is AP through other parties," said Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri to reporters quoted on Saturday, July 15.

Ali said that since the beginning Andhi was known to have used other people's accounts to receive deposits from certain companies. However, the deepening will continue because the anti-corruption commission does not want to rush.

"Because if we talk about transactions through accounts, it must be certain. We have to prove that the money is controlled by the suspect AP," he said.

Previously, Andhi Pramono had been detained at the KPK Detention Center (Rutan). He is suspected of receiving gratuities in the form of fees after becoming a broker for export-import entrepreneurs.

To make this acceptance, Andhi allegedly used an account belonging to his trusted person who was a businessman. They became nominees so that the gift to him was not detected.

It didn't stop there, Andhi was also suspected of committing a crime of money laundering (TPPU). This allegation arose because he disguised the purchase of assets using the names of other people, including his mother-in-law.

Andhi is said that the KPK received a fee of up to Rp28 billion and the amount could continue to grow. The money was then purchased for various purposes such as diamonds, insurance policies, to houses in the Pejaten area, South Jakarta worth Rp20 billion.