Expired cigarettes destroyed in Makassar

Makassar Customs and Excises Office destroyed 250 boxes, or 151,388 packs, of expired cigarettes of various brands on Wednesday (see photo) in order to protect consumers as well as discouraging distributors from putting expired cigarettes into the market.

The cigarettes came from cities in Java, like Surabaya and Semarang, and were confiscated during market operations by customs and excises officials in Makassar.

The customs and excises office was also investigating six cases involving fake excise stickers, estimated to have caused losses of Rp 588 million (US$61,900) to the state, an official said on Wednesday.

Head of the Makassar office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excises, Djuneidy Djason, said that of the six cases, four were in Makassar, one in South Sulawesi's Gowa regency and another in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.

From the six suspects, authorities confiscated 650 boxes of cigarettes and 521,400 packs of cigarettes of various brands.

Djuneidy said the cases were still under investigation, with the suspects allegedly using fake excise stickers.

Currently, his office was waiting for the state-owned securities paper and banknote printing company, which makes the excise sticker, to examine the excise stamps.

Djuneidy said the six suspects, who were cigarette distributors, had been questioned but were not detained.

The suspects face four years in jail, or a fine totaling 10 times the total excise that should have been paid. (JP/Andi Hajramurni)