KPK Urged to Investigate Allegations of Extortion in Customs Corruption Case

Facts emerging from the trial regarding alleged bribery within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) are raising new questions. Instead of receiving facilitation after providing funds to certain officials, Blueray Cargo reportedly remained stuck in the ‘red lane’ for 80-90 per cent of its shipments.

Counter-intelligence analyst R. Gautama Wiranegara suggests that these conditions indicate a pattern differing from typical bribery. According to him, trial facts point towards allegations of extortion or coercive corruption, where the payer remains under pressure and fails to receive the promised benefits.

“If someone has paid but is still subjected to the red lane, continues to face notifications, experiences obstacles, or even faces threats, then this pattern warrants deeper investigation. This is beginning to resemble extortion rather than ordinary bribery,” Gautama stated in a briefing received on Monday, 8 June 2026.

He explained that in a standard bribery construction, there is usually a reciprocal relationship between the payment and the facilities received. However, facts presented in court show that Blueray experienced the opposite.

In a previous session, witness Fillar Marindra revealed the existence of manipulated ‘rule set targeting’ that kept Blueray’s red lane percentage above 70 per cent. Furthermore, data presented by prosecutors showed the company’s red lane rate reached 80-90 per cent during certain periods.

Additional facts emerged from the testimony of witness Sri Pangestuti, also known as Tuti. Before the panel of judges, Tuti admitted to hearing complaints from John Field, who stated that despite providing money, there was no change in the treatment received during the customs process.

Furthermore, Tuti revealed statements from Orlando Hamonangan, suggesting that air cargo routes could be ‘reddened’ if businesses do not join certain parties. According to Gautama, such testimony serves as a signal that investigators must scrutinise closely.

“If these threats are proven and the payments were made under pressure, then this case should not be viewed solely from the perspective of bribery,” he added.

Gautama also highlighted trial facts showing that other companies, such as PT Infinity, were allegedly making regular payments to the same officials but maintained a much lower red lane percentage and experienced relatively smooth import processes.