Bringing Alcohol, Cigarettes, and Vapes Back to Indonesia: This Amount Will Definitely Be Confiscated

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) of the Ministry of Finance warns that goods brought from abroad whose consumption is controlled in Indonesia cannot enter arbitrarily beyond the limits set by the government. Goods exceeding the limits will be immediately destroyed.

This warning arises after Customs officers continue to find members of the public causing a stir when their carried goods are seized for exceeding the limits upon entering customs areas from abroad.

For example, Customs officers at Teluk Bayur found at the beginning of March 2025 that an international flight passenger was carrying 3 bottles of ethyl alcohol-containing beverages (MMEA) from abroad, which became a topic on social media.

The amount of alcoholic beverages exceeded the applicable exemption provision, namely a maximum of 1 litre per person. The limits for goods brought from abroad are regulated in Finance Minister Regulation (PMK) 203 of 2017 as amended by PMK Number 34 of 2025.

Head of the Customs Public Relations and Outreach Subdirectorate, Budi Prasetiyo, explained that these rules aim to provide legal certainty while protecting the public.

“This regulation is implemented to ensure that the consumption and circulation of excisable goods remain controlled and do not cause negative impacts,” he stated, quoted from a press release on Friday (3/4/2026).

Excisable goods (BKC) themselves are specific items with particular characteristics, such as the need for controlled consumption and supervised circulation. Examples of BKC include tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars, ethyl alcohol or ethanol, and ethyl alcohol-containing beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits.

For MMEA, the government provides excise exemptions for passengers up to a maximum of 1 litre per adult aged 21 and above. Meanwhile, for vehicle crew, the exemption limit is much smaller, namely a maximum of 350 millilitres.

“This limitation is not to complicate matters, but to ensure that the goods entering remain within reasonable personal consumption limits,” Budi emphasised.

In addition to MMEA, there are also provisions for carrying other BKC, particularly tobacco products. Adult passengers are allowed to bring up to 200 cigarette sticks, 25 cigar sticks, or 100 grams of cut tobacco.

For electronic cigarettes, limits have also been set, both in solid and liquid forms. Meanwhile, vehicle crew have smaller limits, such as 40 cigarette sticks or 10 cigar sticks. If carrying more than one type of tobacco product, the excise exemption is given proportionally.

Budi stressed that excesses beyond the permitted amount cannot be resolved by paying import duties or other levies. “Such excesses will be immediately destroyed by Customs and Excise officers, so the public must really pay attention to the existing limits,” he revealed.

Therefore, the public is urged to understand the applicable provisions before travelling abroad.

“We invite the public to be more proactive in seeking information so as not to encounter obstacles when returning to Indonesia,” Budi added.