House Commission III: Police Uncover Nearly IDR 1 Trillion in Smuggling, a Golden Record

House of Representatives Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman has assessed the success of the National Police’s Anti-Smuggling Law Enforcement Task Force in uncovering various smuggling cases with a total value of nearly IDR 1 trillion as a golden record for the Bhayangkara Corps. According to him, this achievement demonstrates the National Police’s rapid response in following up on President Prabowo Subianto’s instruction to tighten the eradication of smuggling in order to maintain national economic stability. “As Chairman of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, I give the highest appreciation and a thumbs up to the National Police, especially the Anti-Smuggling Law Enforcement Task Force, for their very fast, tactical, and progressive response in following up on the President’s order to eradicate all forms of smuggling in the country,” said Habiburokhman in a written statement on Monday (29/6). Habiburokhman stated that within just four days of the instruction being issued, the task force formed by National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo had demonstrated its performance and had an impact on national economic stability. “The success in uncovering smuggling cases such as 57,000 units of mobile phones from China, 25 tonnes of garlic, shallots, and dried chillies from China, India, and the Netherlands, as well as imported used clothing from South Korea worth IDR 669 billion, totalling nearly IDR 1 trillion, is a golden record for the Bhangkara Corps,” he said. Commission III of the House of Representatives, he stated, fully supports the uncompromising steps taken by the National Police. “We hope this momentum is maintained, pursued to its roots, and does not slacken,” he said. The National Police’s Anti-Smuggling Law Enforcement Task Force from the Criminal Investigation Department’s Directorate of Special Economic Crimes has reportedly saved state finances of nearly IDR 1 trillion from various illegal import cases in the last two months. Among the cases uncovered was the smuggling of used iPhones and Android mobile phones. From raids at four locations in the Penjaringan and Pluit areas of North Jakarta, and in Sidoarjo, East Java, on 15 and 16 April, investigators seized around 50,000 iPhone and Android units along with spare parts, LCDs, batteries, and other components worth up to IDR 250 billion. Subsequently, on 17 April, the task force also searched two warehouses in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. From these two locations, police seized 23 tonnes of garlic, shallots, and dried chillies shipped from China, India, and the Netherlands, with an estimated annual business turnover of IDR 24 billion, along with several other cases.