KPAI: Indonesia a Soft Target for International Vape Syndicates
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has issued a stern warning regarding the widespread circulation of custom-blended substances for electronic cigarettes, or vapes, freely sold in various outlets across Indonesia. KPAI assesses that weak supervision in this sector has turned Indonesia into a soft target for international syndicates seeking to smuggle hazardous substances that threaten children’s health.
KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra lamented the rise of manipulative terms used by the industry to disguise electronic cigarette products. Terms such as smart smoke, smart cigarette, pods, and green cig are viewed as attempts to evade regulations and distance the industry from legal sanctions and advertising bans.
“If left unchecked, this will not only weaken the sovereignty of Indonesian law but will also continue to increase the state budget burden, which currently ranks second largest for managing diseases caused by cigarette risk factors,” Jasra stated in an official release on Thursday (4/6/2026).
Throughout 2026, a series of smuggling cases involving foreign nationals reinforced the vulnerability of Indonesia’s border regions and domestic market. Several prominent cases highlighted by KPAI included the arrest of an Australian national in Lombok for possessing vape liquid containing cannabis, the seizure of tens of thousands of illegal liquid bottles in two consecutive cases in Sidoarjo, and the uncovering of an international network smuggling etomidate worth Rp45 billion in a suitcase from Bangkok.
Jasra asserted this spate of cases reveals a “grey zone” in the vape trade exploited by transnational criminals. “Weak supervision seems to signal to foreign nationals that our legal sovereignty is weak and easily played with,” he stressed.
KPAI also highlighted law enforcement integrity following the recent apprehension of 11 Immigration and Corrections officials, deemed to further tarnish the image of law enforcement internationally.
KPAI emphasised that the presence of electronic cigarettes with various fruit flavours and attractive packaging is not a solution to lowering the prevalence of child smokers. On the contrary, these products create a double burden for the state by generating a new generation addicted to nicotine and other hazardous chemicals.
The government is urged to immediately tighten supervision at national entry points and carry out massive enforcement against vape outlets selling unlicensed products or those containing prohibited substances to protect the future of Indonesia’s younger generation.