East Java Customs Responds to Police Anti-Corruption Unit Search

The Head of the East Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC), Rusman Hadi, has responded to the search conducted by the Police’s Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortastipidkor) at the Juanda Customs Surveillance and Service Office (KPPBC) in Sidoarjo on Wednesday, 24 June. Rusman stated that his party respects the ongoing legal process. The search is related to an alleged corruption case involving the import of used mobile phones. “Regarding the news about the search by Bareskrim, I respect every legal process carried out by fellow law enforcement officers,” Rusman told the media on Tuesday, 7 July. Rusman confirmed the search took place and acknowledged that police seized a number of data and documents as part of the investigation into the alleged customs corruption. “There was indeed a search and collection of data required by the police for the investigation of alleged criminal acts in the customs sector,” he said. Rusman stressed that his party’s relationship with the police remains good. He said the arrival of Kortastipidkor investigators at the Juanda KPPBC office was part of their duties at the location under investigation. He also assured that there was no element of intimidation during the search process, even though the presence of many officers often creates a different impression in the public eye. “Please go ahead, and there was no intimidation in the process. It is true that usually when many officers arrive, there is a perception of mass mobilization or intimidation, but that is not the case,” he said. However, regarding the documents seized and the Customs officials examined by investigators, Rusman admitted he did not yet know the details. “Regarding the documents secured and the witnesses examined, I do not yet know in detail what was taken by the investigators,” he said. So far, he noted, there have been no further summonses for the Juanda Customs office. He mentioned that if any Customs employees are summoned as witnesses in the future, his party will provide legal assistance in accordance with applicable regulations. Previously, investigators from Kortastipidkor searched the Juanda Customs office and several other locations in Sidoarjo and Surabaya. These included the Juanda Cargo Warehouse of PT Jasa Angkasa Semesta (JAS), as well as the homes of two individuals with the initials MT and AY in Surabaya. MT is a private importer, while AY is a Customs official. From the search of MT’s house, investigators seized evidence including five iPhones, a DVR CCTV storage device, bank statements in MT’s name, notes on deposit slip distribution, approximately Rp165 million in cash, and 14,200 Singapore dollars. At the home of AY, the Customs official, investigators seized approximately 22 grams of gold jewellery, a land and building certificate with its Sale and Purchase Deed, eight Building Use Rights certificates, and a motorcycle ownership document. At the KPPBC office, police seized three containers of documents and one mirrored file of the CEISA application. An additional container of documents was secured at the Juanda Cargo Warehouse of PT JAS. To date, Kortastipidkor investigators have also examined around 30 people from Customs and 20 people from the private sector as witnesses. However, no suspects have been named yet.