Jakarta (ANTARA) - Abdullah, a member of Commission III of the\nIndonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), supports Customs in\nstrengthening enforcement against illegal cigarettes, which have\ndepleted potential state revenue that should otherwise support various\ndevelopment programmes and public interests.<\/p>\n
He stated that the circulation of illegal cigarettes has created\nunfair business competition, as legal businesses must fulfil excise\nobligations and various regulations, while illegal actors evade these\nduties.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result, it is not only the state that suffers, but many parties\nwithin the cigarette industry supply chain who operate their businesses\nlegally,\u201d Abdullah said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.<\/p>\n
To this end, he supports the enforcement actions taken by Customs in\nJakarta, which were highly significant in 2026, involving approximately\n59.8 million sticks with an estimated potential loss to the state of\naround Rp46.79 billion.<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, the eradication must be intensified,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Enforcement should not stop at retailers or distributors but must be\ntraced back to the producers and financiers. He noted that the money\nflow from the illegal cigarette business also needs to be investigated\nto determine if the proceeds are being used to fund other illegal\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis comprehensive law enforcement is essential to protect the\ninterests of the public, compliant businesses, and the state,\u201d said\nAbdullah.<\/p>\n
Deputy Chairman of Commission III DPR RI, Dede Indra Permana Soediro,\nalso stated that the performance of the Jakarta Customs Regional Office\nin enforcing actions against illegal excisable goods has helped maintain\nstate revenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate the Regional Head for assisting in state revenue\ncollection,\u201d Dede said at the Jakarta Customs Regional Office in\nKemayoran on Wednesday (9\/9).<\/p>\n
Similarly, Commission III member Syarifuddin Sudding noted that\nillegal cigarettes have long been a focus for Commission III,\nparticularly regarding law enforcement and the synergy between law\nenforcement agencies and Customs.<\/p>\n
According to him, the impact of illegal cigarettes is not limited to\nthe loss of potential state revenue, but also poses risks to public\nhealth and creates unfair competition for industries that comply with\nexcise obligations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe circulation of illegal cigarettes does not only result in lost\nstate revenue\u2014the potential loss to the state is indeed very large.\nHowever, it also concerns public health issues and unfair business\ncompetition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He revealed that the circulation of untaxed cigarettes is still found\nin various regions, particularly in industrial areas. Therefore, law\nenforcement against excise violations must be carried out\ncomprehensively.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf necessary, we want to go further, not just at the retailer level\nbut also to the producers. The producers who benefit from these illegal\ncigarettes must be held legally accountable,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n
To this end, Sudding emphasised that enforcement should be directed\nat large distributors who play a role in the illegal cigarette supply\nchain, ensuring that eradication does not merely break the chain at the\nlower levels.<\/p>\n
He noted that the enforcement performance by the Jakarta Customs\nRegional Office is part of a broader effort to monitor various\ncommodities that have the potential to harm the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe this is an extraordinary achievement, and it is not\nlimited to illegal cigarettes; there are many other commodities that\nmust also be subject to enforcement,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Head of the Jakarta Customs Regional Office, Hendri\nDarnadi, reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing producers and\ndistributors.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur commitment is to pursue them to the end to create a deterrent\neffect. We will pursue them right up to the ultimate beneficiaries. We\nhope this becomes a new template for the enforcement or investigation\nprocess of illegal cigarettes,\u201d said Hendri.<\/p>\n
He added that the spirit of eradicating illegal cigarettes is a\nshared goal among all Customs divisions across various regions.<\/p>\n
He stated that every region has different characteristics and\nstrategic environments, meaning that the patterns and speed of\nenforcement can be adjusted to the specific conditions of each area.<\/p>\n
\u201cCustoms, wherever it may be, shares the same spirit. Much like a\nmultinational company, we have what is called a congruent goal\u2014the same\nand aligned objectives. I am certain that colleagues outside of Jakarta\nshare this same spirit. Different speeds do not mean different spirits,\u201d\nhe concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dpr-members-support-customs-in-strengthening-crackdown-on-illegal-cigarettes-1789117866", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }