Customs Official Reveals Director General's Instruction to 'Nurture' Rather Than 'Destroy' Importers in Bribery Trial

Rizal, the Director of Enforcement and Investigation at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) for the period of September 2024–January 2026, has revealed instructions from Director General Djaka Budhi regarding importers. Rizal stated that Djaka commanded that importers should be nurtured rather than destroyed.

This testimony was delivered by Rizal while serving as a witness in a bribery case involving import goods at Customs during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (8/6/2026). The defendants in the trial include John Field, leader of Blueray Cargo (Group); Dedy Kurniawan Sukolo, Operational Manager of Custom Clearance at the Port for Blueray Cargo (Group); and Andri, Head of the Import Documentation Team at Bluyray Cargo (Group).

During the proceedings, prosecutors questioned Rizal regarding a meeting held at the Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, in July 2025. Rizal explained that the meeting was initiated by himself and his team to introduce the new Director General, Djaka Budhi, to the business processes of importers. He noted that the meeting was held discreetly because the attendees included importers with a High-Risk Importer (IBT) index, who are often flagged for customs violations.

Rizal explained that because Djaka Budhi had a military background, the team wanted him to hear directly from business owners to deepen his understanding of customs procedures, import/export business processes, and the challenges faced by the industry. This was particularly important as the group’s activities were under significant scrutiny on social media at the time.

Crucially, the prosecution read from Rizal’s official statement (BAP), which noted that Djaka Budhi explicitly instructed, “We do not want to destroy, but to nurture these importers.” Rizal confirmed this, clarifying that the Director General’s principle was not to shut down businesses, but to ensure they operate in accordance with existing regulations.

The KPK prosecutors have indicted three leaders of Blueray Cargo in this bribery case. The prosecution alleges that the defendants provided 61.3 billion IDR in Singapore Dollars, alongside luxury goods and facilities valued at approximately 1.8 billion IDR.