Customs Foils Two Gold Smuggling Attempts Worth Rp 63 Billion at Soekarno-Hatta
Customs and Excise (Bea Cukai) at Soekarno-Hatta, in synergy with Aviation Security (Avsec), foiled two attempts to smuggle gold exports through Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. From the two enforcement actions, officers seized 23.793 kilograms of gold with an estimated market value of Rp 63 billion.
The first enforcement action began when Avsec and Customs officers discovered suspected gold being carried in hand luggage by a Chinese national passenger at Terminal 3 Departures. During the inspection, officers found gold shaped into cylinders or eggs. As the investigation deepened, Avsec and Customs officers identified another passenger based on anomalies detected by a body scanner. A search of this passenger uncovered gold concealed within modified underwear. The Customs Passenger Analysis Unit (PAU) then conducted data analysis and found suspected links between these two passengers and others on two flights bound for Hong Kong, namely CX798 and GA860. Five other passengers suspected of being connected were subsequently apprehended for further examination. From this series of inspections, officers discovered gold eggs inserted into genital and rectal areas, as well as gold hidden in modified underwear. In total, officers arrested seven passengers and seized 41 pieces of gold weighing 17.436 kilograms, with an estimated market value of Rp 46 billion. All the seized gold tested at 99.99 per cent purity, or 24 carats, using an XRF Mineral Detector. Based on the case review, the seven passengers met the elements of a criminal export smuggling offence as stipulated in Article 102A letter a of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 on Customs.
Less than 24 hours later, officers foiled another smuggling attempt. A ground handling staff member was found carrying gold through a special employee lane or loading dock to hand over to a passenger bound for Dubai on flight EK357. The inspection uncovered seven cast bar gold pieces weighing 6.357 kilograms, with an estimated market value of Rp 17 billion, stored in a backpack and cabin luggage without customs documents.
The Finance Minister stressed that customs supervision cannot rely solely on physical checks but must combine technology, risk analysis, data utilisation, field surveillance, and cross-agency synergy. Customs at Soekarno-Hatta is synergising with the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim Polri) and the Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to further investigate the case and trace the origin of the gold. The government reminded the public that carrying gold abroad must comply with customs provisions and applicable export regulations, including the recently enacted Minister of Finance Regulation Number 80 of 2025 concerning export goods subject to export duty on certain gold items.