The Semarang Customs and Excise Office has uncovered a variety of new\nmodus operandi used by perpetrators to distribute illegal excisable\ngoods, ranging from modified private vehicles to the use of molasses\ntanker trucks. Throughout the first half of 2026, the office carried out\n138 enforcement actions, with the total value of seized goods reaching\nIDR 21.58 billion.<\/p>\n
Mochamad Syuhadak, Head of the Semarang Customs and Excise Office,\nstated that the changing modus operandi of the perpetrators reflects the\nincreasingly complex challenges faced in field supervision. He noted\nthat perpetrators continuously seek loopholes to avoid detection when\ndistributing illegal cigarettes.<\/p>\n
One of the most frequently encountered modes involves private\nvehicles that have been modified, particularly their suspension systems,\nto appear normal while carrying large quantities of illegal cigarettes.\nIn other cases, officers discovered cigarettes without excise stamps\nhidden in special compartments beneath loads of plastic waste or\ncoconuts to deceive inspections. A particularly novel method involved\nthe use of molasses tanker trucks, where the tanks were deliberately\nkept dry and used to store millions of illegal cigarettes, giving the\nappearance of a vehicle transporting a plantation commodity.<\/p>\n
Of the 138 enforcement actions conducted up to 30 June 2026, 133 were\nrelated to tobacco products and five involved beverages containing ethyl\nalcohol. From the tobacco sector, officers secured 14,416,520 sticks of\nillegal machine-rolled kretek cigarettes and machine-rolled white\ncigarettes, with an estimated value of IDR 21.42 billion and potential\nstate losses prevented amounting to IDR 13.96 billion. In the alcohol\nsector, 517.68 litres of beverages containing ethyl alcohol, including\nclass C drinks and arak, were seized, valued at IDR 165.4 million,\npreventing potential state losses of IDR 88.19 million.<\/p>\n
Syuhadak emphasised that enforcement operations will continue to be\noptimised in line with the evolving smuggling methods. He also called on\nbusiness operators to conduct their activities in accordance with\nregulations and urged the public not to purchase or distribute illegal\nexcisable goods, and to immediately report any indications of their\ncirculation to Customs and Excise.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/semarang-customs-uncovers-various-smuggling-modes-for-illegal-cigarettes-and-alcohol-worth-idr-21-billion-1784271102", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }