Customs Thwarts Illegal Gold Export, Saving the State from Rp 41 Billion Loss
Customs officers at Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Airport thwarted an attempt to illegally export hundreds of kilograms of gold on Monday (27/4/2026).
In the operation, officers seized evidence consisting of 60.3 kg of jewellery and 130.262 kg of gold coins, thereby saving the state from a potential loss of Rp 41 billion.
The action stemmed from information about a planned shipment of six packages containing gold jewellery and gold coins, suspected of not being declared in the Export Goods Notification (PEB) documents.
The items were intended to be transported on a chartered aircraft with registration number N117LR, scheduled to depart at 14:30 WIB. Following up on the information, officers immediately conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft’s cargo in the apron area of Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.
From the in-depth examination, officers discovered six packages of gold jewellery in the form of bracelets, totalling 611 pieces with a weight of 60.3 kg valued at US$8,940,000, and 2,971 gold coins with a total weight of 130.262 kg valued at US$19,409,161.67. The total value of all items is US$28,349,161.67, equivalent to Rp 502,545,577,047.
The undeclared export items were subsequently halted, and Seizure Evidence Letter (SBP) No. SBP-27/Mandiri/KBC.0801/2026 dated 27 April 2026 was issued, along with related minutes.
Officers then transported the seized items to the Jakarta Customs office for further examination. Four individuals involved in the case are HH, AH, HG, and a foreign national from India with initials PP.
Based on preliminary calculations, the customs value of the commodities reaches Rp 486,074,725,993.8. Specifically for gold coins under HS Code 7108.12.90, subject to an export duty rate of 12.5% in accordance with applicable provisions, the potential state loss from non-compliance with export duty obligations is estimated at Rp 41,193,899,800.
The Director General of Customs, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Djaka Budhi Utama, emphasised that oversight of exports of high-value goods (HVG) such as gold is conducted to ensure compliance with regulations while safeguarding economic benefits for the wider community.
“Gold exports must be carried out transparently and in accordance with provisions so that the state’s rights are fulfilled and domestic supply stability is maintained. State revenues from this sector ultimately return to fund development, public services, and support community welfare,” he stated in a press release on Tuesday (28/4/2026).
The government has enacted Finance Minister Regulation (PMK) No. 80 of 2025, effective from 17 November 2025, regarding the imposition of export duties on gold commodities. This regulation sets export duty rates based on the type and level of gold processing.
For processed bullion gold such as minted bars, the export duty rate is set at 7.5% to 10%. Gold or gold alloys in the form of lumps, ingots, and cast bars are subject to 7.5% to 10%.
Meanwhile, gold in granular form or other forms is subject to 10% to 12.5%, and gold dore is subject to a higher rate of 12.5% to 15%.
This policy aims to maintain gold availability domestically, stabilise prices, and encourage value addition through domestic processing and deepening of the national financial sector.
Through this oversight, Customs hopes that export trade will run fairly, healthily, and provide greater benefits to the national economy and the Indonesian people at large.