Customs Bribery Case Investigation Deemed Incomplete

The handling of bribery and gratuity allegations within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) following the February 2026 sting operation is deemed incomplete, with two major avenues yet to be fully explored. First, the investigation into other forwarding companies and clarification of the money-receiving codes widely circulating in public discourse.

Counter-intelligence specialist Gautama Wiranegara cautioned against interpreting major cases like comic books, where every name, search, or witness examination is treated as a new case. He noted that many narratives are developing faster than the actual legal framework being constructed.

“Not all witness examinations constitute separate cases. Not all searches imply new suspects. If read incorrectly, the public will get lost in a narrative forest without a map,” Gautama said on Thursday, 28 May 2026.

He stated that the main case currently centres on alleged import bribery involving PT Blue Ray Cargo, while other developments, including other forwarding companies and additional gratuity allegations, remain under deepening investigation.

He highlighted the lack of significant progress on other companies despite initial mentions of expansion avenues. This, he argued, risks creating “tunnel vision” in the investigation.

From a counter-intelligence perspective, Gautama said prolonged focus on a single node allows other network parts to adapt, erase traces.

“The longer the focus remains on one path, the greater the chance other nodes adapt, clean themselves, sever communications, and move assets,” he added.

Gautama reminded that law enforcement must be based on evidence, not public perception or emerging narratives.

Because, he added, when the public loses trust in legal processes, the impact extends beyond individual reputations to the legitimacy of law enforcement institutions themselves.