A total of 6.7 million illegal cigarettes have been destroyed by the\nMataram Customs Office. These illegal cigarettes, spanning various\nbrands, are estimated to have caused state losses amounting to Rp 8.3\nbillion.<\/p>\n
The illegal cigarettes are the result of 290 enforcement operations\ntargeting excise evasion conducted between July 2025 and June 2026. In\naddition to the cigarettes, Mataram Customs also destroyed 29,575 grams\nof shredded tobacco (TIS), 2,820 litres of alcoholic beverages (MMEA),\nand 1,100 grams of unbranded medicines.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Mataram Customs Office, Bambang Parwanto, stated that\nthe total value of all destroyed illegal cigarettes reached\napproximately Rp 10.4 billion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese illegal goods are the result of 290 enforcement operations.\nThere were both independent operations and joint operations involving\nthe Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) across Lombok Island, the TNI, the\nNational Police, and the Prosecutor\u2019s Office,\u201d said Bambang following\nthe destruction of State-Owned Goods (BMMN) at his office on Thursday\n(10\/09\/2026).<\/p>\n
Bambang emphasised that the state losses resulting from the 6.7\nmillion illegal cigarettes are estimated at Rp 8.3 billion. \u201cThis figure\nhas increased from last year,\u201d Bambang noted.<\/p>\n
Majority of Illegal Cigarettes from East Java<\/strong><\/p>\n Bambang claimed that none of the seized illegal cigarettes were\nproduced on Lombok Island. The cigarettes were mostly smuggled from East\nJava through two main routes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe origin of all these goods is not from Lombok; most are from East\nJava. We are monitoring two routes: via e-commerce platforms using\nexpedition services, and through crossings at Lembar Port,\u201d he\nexplained.<\/p>\n In addition to the distribution routes, officers also discovered\nmethods involving the use of counterfeit excise stamps and the\nmanipulation of cigarette packaging. For instance, packaging with an\nexcise stamp for 16 sticks was found to be filled with 20 sticks of\nvarious brands.<\/p>\n \u201cThe methods include using fake excise stamps, and some packages with\nstamps for 12 sticks were filled with 20 sticks. The brands are very\ndiverse, including Lexus, with a total of 38 brands,\u201d Bambang added.<\/p>\n Two Distributor Cases Enter Investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n From the 290 enforcement operations, two case files involving illegal\ncigarette distributors have entered the investigation stage to be handed\nover to the Prosecutor\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, in accordance with laws governing state finance and\nfiscal matters, Mataram Customs can apply the principle of Ultimum\nRemedium<\/em> to certain offenders.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are several offenders who paid fines through the Ultimum\nRemedium<\/em> mechanism. This means they paid administrative fines so\nthat the criminal investigation process was not pursued. However, please\nnote that the goods are still seized and destroyed; they are not\nreturned,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n Bambang ensured that all seized cigarettes and illegal goods would\nnot be returned. Some items were symbolically burnt, while others were\nburied at the Kebon Kongok landfill.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the dry season makes open burning unfeasible, the goods were\ndestroyed by being buried at the Kebon Kongok landfill. Before being\nburied, the goods were sprayed with water. The main point is to ensure\nthey cannot be reused,\u201d Bambang stated.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, evidence in the form of illegal alcoholic beverages and\nmedicines had been destroyed earlier in the courtyard of the Mataram\nCustoms Office by being poured out.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/6-7-million-illegal-cigarettes-seized-in-mataram-mostly-smuggled-from-east-java-1789041603",
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