Customs and West Java Government Destroy 44 Million Illegal Cigarettes Worth IDR 65 Billion
The West Java Regional Office of Customs and Excise, together with the West Java Provincial Government, has destroyed 44,028,306 illegal cigarettes with an estimated value of IDR 65,181,393,510. These illegal cigarettes were proceeds from enforcement actions classified as state-owned goods. Through this community protector function, potential state losses amounting to IDR 32,952,835,832 were prevented.
The illegal cigarettes destroyed were seized during operations from July 2025 to May 2026, conducted independently by Customs and Excise as well as through synergy utilising the Tobacco Excise Revenue Sharing Fund in the field of law enforcement.
The symbolic destruction took place at the Garut Regency Square. The state-owned goods were then transported to PT Mukti Mandiri Lestari in Ciwangi, Bungursari, Purwakarta Regency, for complete destruction by crushing, damaging, and incineration until they could no longer be utilised.
From 1 January to 31 May 2026, the West Java Regional Office of Customs and Excise and its vertical units successfully carried out 1,594 enforcement actions, seizing 49.05 million illegal cigarettes with an estimated value of IDR 72.93 billion. During the same period, the office also completed one criminal investigation into excise violations, which was declared complete and handed over to the prosecutor’s office. Additionally, 28 cases were resolved using the ultimum remedium principle, generating state revenue of IDR 1.1 billion. Ultimum remedium is a principle in criminal law stating that criminal sanctions should be used as a last resort, applied only when administrative sanctions such as fines cannot resolve the violation.
Director General of Customs and Excise, Letjen TNI (Ret.) Djaka Budhi Utama, emphasised that eradicating illegal cigarettes is not solely the task of law enforcement but requires the participation of the entire community. He urged the public not to buy, sell, or distribute illegal cigarettes and to report any indications of excise violations. He stated that prevention through raising public awareness will always be a better step than enforcement. Customs and Excise continues to carry out uncompromising enforcement through optimal supervision, with public destruction events serving as a form of transparency in the fight against illegal cigarettes. Appreciation was also extended to all involved parties, including law enforcement officers, ministries and agencies, local governments, and the community, for their active and collaborative support in fostering a legal industry that supports national economic growth.