The Customs Office at Soekarno-Hatta Airport has denied allegations\nthat the inspection of a passenger carrying Pok\u00e9mon cards was conducted\nexcessively simply because they were bringing collectibles from abroad.\nCustoms explained that the inspection was carried out because officers\nfound strong indications of commercial-scale importing activities\nthrough X-ray scans and risk management systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery imported item brought by a passenger must be declared to\nCustoms officers to fulfil customs obligations,\u201d stated the @beacukai<\/span> social media\naccount on Monday (18\/5\/2026). Upon inspecting the suitcase, officers\ndiscovered a large quantity of Pok\u00e9mon cards.<\/p>\n According to Customs, based on PMK Number 34 of 2025 regarding\npassenger luggage, every passenger is entitled to an import duty\nexemption of up to 500 US dollars per person. However, this facility\ndoes not apply if the luggage is categorised as merchandise or\ncommercial goods. Indications of \u2018jastip\u2019 (personal shopping service)\nactivities were based on a high frequency of overseas trips in close\nsuccession, as well as monitoring the passenger\u2019s social media activity\ninvolving the offering of overseas shopping goods.<\/p>\n During further inspection, Customs noted that the quantity of Pok\u00e9mon\ncards brought was significant and possessed high economic value. Indeed,\na single Pok\u00e9mon card was reported to be worth anywhere from Rp 100,000\nto Rp 100 million, with some even reaching Rp 1.5 billion. After\nverifying the data, officers concluded that the items were personal\nbelongings. Consequently, the goods were exempted from Import Duty and\nImport Taxes (PDRI), allowing the passenger to continue their\njourney.<\/p>\n Customs also denied narratives claiming the passenger cried due to\nintimidation by officers. In enforcing customs regulations, officers are\nsaid to always prioritise integrity, professionalism, and respect for\nthe rights and obligations of every citizen. Customs emphasised that its\npresence is not intended to complicate matters for passengers, but to\nensure that the entry of goods from abroad is orderly and fair in\naccordance with customs regulations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/customs-denies-intimidating-passenger-over-pokemon-card-inspection-1780923218",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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