Police criticize customs officials<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Tanjung Priok Seaport (KP3) Police in North
\nJakarta believe that Customs and Excise officials at the port
\ncould have played a significant role in helping people smuggle
\ndissembled cars into the country, an officer said on Monday.<\/p>\n
KP3 police chief, Col. Edward Aritonang, said he still had no
\ndefinite proof but doubted there was a legitimate reason as to
\nwhy customs officials would allow dissembled cars and machines to
\npass inspection.<\/p>\n
He admitted that the prevailing law allows importers to import
\nautomobile spare parts or car wrecks.<\/p>\n
"But it (the customs office) should have to examine the pieces
\nthoroughly first. It doesn't mean that people can cut up or break
\ndown new cars or luxury ones into pieces and then import them as
\nautomobile spare parts," Edward said.<\/p>\n
The officer was referring to the confiscation by his men on
\nThursday last week of 67 luxury cars, all of which had been
\ndissembled, giving the impression that they were imported spare
\nparts or the wrecks of used cars.<\/p>\n
The car pieces, mostly of Mercedez-Benz, Nissan and Toyota,
\nwere found inside different containers in the port compound. They
\nwere shipped from Japan and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Some of the cars had been cut precisely into two pieces.
\nAccording to Aritonang, the two pieces would be welded by the
\nowners later before selling the vehicles to interested parties.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment, the head of the port's Customs and
\nExcise Office, Muhammad Zein, hastily dismissed the police
\naccusation.<\/p>\n
"Some importers have a permit from the Ministry of Trade and
\nIndustry to recondition used cars imported from overseas," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"We checked their documents, which were complete ... so we
\nreleased them," he added.<\/p>\n
"If they (the importers) plan to weld the pieces together to
\nmake a brand new car, well ... do we have to accept
\naccountability for that?" Zein asked.<\/p>\n
Some of the evidence is being kept at the KP3 office at the
\nport. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-criticize-customs-officials-1447893297",
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