30 Juanda Customs Officers Questioned in Illegal Used Mobile Phone Import Case

At least 30 customs officers have been questioned as witnesses in a corruption investigation into the illegal importation of used mobile phones, handled by the National Police’s Corruption Crime Eradication Corps (Kortastipidkor).

Brigadier General Mulya Hakim Solihin, a senior investigator at Kortastipidkor, stated that in addition to personnel from Customs and Excise, around 20 individuals from the private sector have also been questioned. “Those who have been examined from Customs number around 30 people, and from the private sector around 20 people,” Mulya said in Sidoarjo on Wednesday (24/6).

In addition to questioning dozens of witnesses, police also searched four locations: the Juanda Type Madya Customs Supervision and Service Office (KPPBC), the Juanda Cargo Warehouse operated by PT JAS, and the homes of two individuals with the initials MT and AY. MT is known to be a private sector importer, while AY is a customs officer.

Investigators stated that the importers are suspected of bringing used mobile phones from abroad through Juanda Customs using non-compliant import documents. The goods were allegedly deliberately allowed through without physical inspection due to the involvement of individuals within Customs.

“These importers brought in goods with documents that were not in order. Besides that, there was involvement of certain individuals, meaning the mechanism should have included an inspection,” Mulya said. “But in fact, no physical inspection was carried out. So the goods just passed through,” he continued.

Beyond document falsification, investigators have also found indications of bribe payments to state officials. This practice is suspected to have been ongoing from 2024 to 2026. “Investigators have also discovered alleged payments of sums of money to individual officials or state administrators,” the one-star police general stated.

To date, no suspects have been named. Mulya stressed that the current process is still at the investigation stage to gather sufficient evidence and determine which parties can be held criminally liable. Meanwhile, the calculation of state losses is still underway with the involvement of expert assessors. “Kortastipidkor is committed to resolving this case transparently and without discrimination,” he asserted.