'Confiscated planes not missing'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The customs and excise directorate claimed on Monday that the
\nthree smuggled microlight airplanes it had confiscated on Feb. 20
\nremained at its warehouse at the Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta,
\nin an attempt to dispel rumors that they had gone "missing".<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post however, was denied access to see the German-
\nmade airplanes at the warehouse in question.<\/p>\n
"The airplanes are safe, you could just go there and see for
\nyourself if you don't believe me," the agency's director of
\ninspection and prevention, Nifsu Chasbullah, told The Post,
\nsaying the Tanjung Priok warehouse was under the supervision of
\nthe customs and excise service office II, which is better known
\nhere by the acronym of KPBC II.<\/p>\n
It was however a different matter altogether, actually trying
\nto gain access to the warehouse.<\/p>\n
When The Post visited the service office, the officials were
\nunwilling to give permission to see the warehouse, saying the
\nfacility was not their responsibility.<\/p>\n
The head of KPBC II, Iswan Ramdana, who refused comment on the
\nwhereabouts of the airplanes, urged The Post to go to one of his
\nsubordinates, who, in turn, claimed that he was not responsible
\nfor the warehouse, but pointed out another official who
\napparently was.<\/p>\n
"Check with the communications division. It's not our
\nresponsibility.<\/p>\n
"Anyway, if we knew about it we would not show the airplanes
\nnor the inventory list, those are classified. But I can assure
\nyou that they are still at the warehouse," said a staff member at
\nthe intelligence and inspection division.<\/p>\n
Many suspect that the airplanes could have fallen into the
\nwrong hands following the directorate's first quarter performance
\nreport which did not mention the airplanes or their seizure.<\/p>\n
Ironically enough, the directorate's officials proudly showed
\noff the airplanes to reporters the day after they were
\nconfiscated -- apparently to impress the public about its feat.<\/p>\n
Nifsu said the directorate did not mention the airplanes in
\nthe quarterly report, because the case was still under
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
"We did not include the airplanes in the quarterly report,
\nbecause there was not yet any claim from any person nor
\ninstitution over them. We are still investigating the matter,"
\nsaid Nifsu.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/confiscated-planes-not-missing-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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