Customs Foils Smuggling of Nearly 3kg of Gold to Malaysia in Aceh

A joint team from the Banda Aceh Customs and Excise Office and other agencies has arrested a Chinese citizen, identified by the initials GP, for attempting to smuggle 2,989 grams of gold bars out of Indonesia. The arrest took place at Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in Aceh Besar on Wednesday, 1 July, at around 5:30 p.m. local time. GP was a passenger on a commercial flight bound for Malaysia. Rahmat Priyandoko, Head of the Banda Aceh Customs and Excise Office, stated that the suspect was detained for carrying gold bars illegally. This marks the second case of gold smuggling uncovered at the airport, following a previous incident involving 527 grams of gold. Officers became suspicious of the passenger and, upon inspection, discovered two gold bars weighing nearly three kilograms in his bag. Initial investigations revealed that the foreign national did not provide documentation for the items in order to avoid paying export duties. The suspect is currently being held at the Aceh Regional Police headquarters for further investigation. Authorities are also probing the origin of the gold, including whether it came from legal or illegal mining activities. Rahmat emphasised that the enforcement action demonstrates Customs and Excise’s commitment to protecting the national economy and securing state revenue. He added that his office, together with relevant agencies, will continue to intensify supervision to close loopholes in the smuggling of high-value commodities. He also urged all business actors and the public to comply with prevailing export regulations to ensure fair trade and optimal contribution to the national economy.