Batam Customs Foils Cigarette Smuggling: 1.12 Million Illegal Sticks Seized
Authorities discover smuggling boat stranded near Pulau Panjang carrying untaxed cigarettes
Batam Customs has thwarted another attempt to smuggle illegal excise goods after seizing more than 1.12 million untaxed cigarettes from a stranded speedboat in the waters near Pulau Panjang, Riau Islands.
Suspicious Activity Sparks Patrol
The incident began when customs officers detected suspicious activity in waters around Pulau Panjang, Batam, on March 12.
A patrol team from BC-11001 Maritime Task Force was dispatched to investigate the area following the report.
Stranded Speedboat Discovered
At around 2pm, officers found a nameless speedboat equipped with two 200 PK engines stranded in a mangrove swamp area.
However, no crew members were found at the scene when authorities arrived.
Over One Million Illegal Cigarettes Seized
After coordinating with a local neighbourhood head, officers successfully evacuated the vessel and its cargo at around 4.30pm.
Initial inspections revealed untaxed cigarettes, consisting of 75 cartons of H-Mind (640,000 sticks) and 40 cartons of OFO-Bold (480,000 sticks)
Estimated Losses to the State
Authorities estimated the value of the seized goods at around Rp1.66 billion.
The smuggling attempt could have caused potential state losses of approximately Rp835.5 million in unpaid excise duties.
Customs Pledges Stronger Sea Surveillance
Batam Customs chief Agung Widodo said maritime surveillance will continue to be strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
He also stressed that public cooperation is essential to curb the circulation of illegal goods in the region.
Authorities warned that individuals involved in the smuggling, distribution, or consumption of illegal cigarettes could face prosecution under Indonesia’s Excise Law No. 39 of 2007, as Batam remains a key frontline in the fight against illicit trade.
Sources: Batam News (2026) , Klik Sumut (2026)
Keywords: Batam Cigarette Smuggling Case, Illegal Cigarettes Indonesia, Batam Customs Seizure, Excise Law Indonesia, Riau Islands Smuggling