Modus of Vehicle Smuggling to Timor Leste Uncovered by Central Java Police

The Task Force for Smuggling from the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) of Central Java Police has secured 52 motorcycles, cars, and trucks while dismantling a case of illegal vehicle smuggling to Timor Leste. The suspects obtained these vehicles without proper documentation from various sources.

“The suspects acquired motorised vehicles including motorcycles, cars, and trucks from various sources that were not equipped with valid ownership documents,” said the Director of Reskrimsus of Central Java Police, Senior Commissioner Djoko Julianto, during a press conference at the Ditreskrimsus Headquarters in Semarang, as reported by detikJateng on Wednesday (22/4/2026).

“Some of the vehicles were obtained from certain leasing company personnel, while others came from motorcycle theft perpetrators,” he continued.

After obtaining the vehicles, according to Djoko, the suspects would dismantle them and change their colours to make them difficult to recognise by the owners.

“They were dismantled and modified by the perpetrators to remove the original colour of the vehicles so as not to arouse suspicion from the public, including victims who mark their stolen motorised vehicles,” Djoko explained.

The suspects then created fictitious documents to enable the vehicles to be exported to Timor Leste. Djoko stated that the shipments were carried out through Tanjung Priok Port.

“Fictitious documents were then created, and these documents were used as the basis for shipping the vehicles in containers destined for export to Timor Leste via Tanjung Priok Port,” Djoko said.

Djoko explained that the vehicle-carrying ships first transited in Singapore before sailing to Timor Leste.

“From Tanjung Priok to Singapore first, then proceeding to Dili, Timor Leste,” Djoko stated.