Customs Foils Illegal Export of 24 kg Gold, Seven Chinese Nationals Arrested

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Finance has successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle illegal gold exports at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Thursday. Director General of Customs Djaka Budhi Utama stated that in this operation, his team secured approximately 48 pieces of gold with a total weight of 23.78 kg in various forms, comprising 41 pieces of 24-carat gold shaped as cylinders weighing 17.43 kg and seven gold bars weighing 6.35 kg.

"We carried out the enforcement by securing evidence consisting of 41 pieces of 24-carat cylindrical gold with a total weight of 17.43 kg, worth around Rp46 billion, and gold bars with a total weight of 6.35 kg, with an economic value of Rp17 billion," Djaka said during a press conference on Thursday.

Djaka added that the perpetrators used different methods to smuggle the gold. For the cylindrical or bullet-shaped pieces, the perpetrators deliberately inserted them into their private parts to evade officers. "The cylindrical or egg-shaped gold was placed inside modified trouser pockets, inserted into the genitals or rectum," Djaka continued.

Meanwhile, for the gold bars, the perpetrators conducted a handover with ground handling staff at the loading dock. "The suspected carrying of gold in hand carry by ground handling staff at the loading dock of Terminal 3 international arrivals was followed by officers, resulting in a handover of goods with passengers bound for Dubai," Djaka explained.

The seven Chinese nationals have been detained by Customs officers for further investigation. The seized evidence will undergo customs examination and laboratory testing. Customs, particularly at airports, will continue to cooperate with relevant stakeholders at the airport to protect the Indonesian public and natural resources from misuse by certain parties.