Customs Thwart Shipment of 94,500 Illegal Cigarettes in Luwuk Waters

Customs officials in Luwuk thwarted an attempt to ship 94,500 illegal cigarettes via sea routes in the waters of Luwuk, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi, on Wednesday (22/4/2026). This enforcement action resulted from a routine sea patrol by Luwuk Customs, aimed at monitoring the circulation of illegal excisable goods.

Regarding the chronology, during an operation in the area using the patrol vessel BC1012, Luwuk Customs approached a vessel engaged in loading and unloading activities at the Luwuk People’s Port dock. Upon inspection, officers discovered suspicious cargo on the vessel.

Officers found several large cartons wrapped in black bubble plastic, which were later determined to contain machine-rolled white cigarettes (SPM) of the ‘Avatar Masterclass’ brand without affixed excise bands.

The total seized goods amounted to 94,500 illegal cigarettes. Based on this discovery, the estimated state revenue loss is Rp75,033,000. This violation incurs administrative sanctions in the form of an obligation to pay three times the excise value, namely Rp225,099,000.

Head of Luwuk Customs Office, Aldi Rakhman, emphasised that Customs will continue to enhance surveillance, particularly on sea routes vulnerable to the distribution of illegal goods.

“We are committed to firmly addressing every attempt at excise violations to protect state revenues and create a fair business climate,” he stated.

All seized goods have now been secured at the Luwuk Customs Office for further investigation and handling. This case is suspected to violate the provisions of Law No. 11 of 1995 on Excise as last amended by Law No. 7 of 2021 on Harmonisation of Tax Regulations.