Finance Minister Suahasil Committed to Strengthening Crackdown on Illicit Cigarettes

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara has expressed her commitment to continuing and strengthening enforcement actions against illegal cigarettes.

She stated that the seizures of illegal activities conducted by the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) are already robust and will be further intensified.

“Mr Djaka (Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budi Utama) has been working closely with the team at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise,” Suahasil said during a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

“From my monitoring, the enforcement against these illegal activities is becoming stronger, and we will continue this momentum,” she added.

“It is not just cigarettes that are illegal, but various other things that we must address,” she noted.

According to the Minister, these measures are part of the Ministry of Finance’s efforts to perform its function of maintaining the health of the State Budget (APBN) and ensuring economic stability.

President Prabowo Subianto officially inaugurated Suahasil Nazara as Finance Minister, replacing Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday (14/9).

With extensive experience in academia, fiscal policy, and the Ministry of Finance, Suahasil now holds a new mandate to lead the Ministry of Finance. Her appointment has brought her back into the public spotlight, following a long career in education and economic policy.