Naval Command XII Seizes 24.6 Million Cigarettes at Dwikora Port
Pontianak (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy’s XII Regional Command (Kodaeral XII) has secured approximately 24.6 million sticks of cigarettes transported via four trucks at Dwikora Port, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, for inspection regarding suspected violations of excise regulations.
“The Kodaeral XII Quick Response Team successfully secured five trucks suspected of carrying cigarettes without excise stamps at Dwikora Port, Pontianak,” stated the Commander of Kodaeral XII, Rear Admiral TNI Sawa, in Pontianak on Monday.
Sawa noted that the enforcement action was carried out by the Kodaeral XII Quick Response Team on Saturday (12/9) following intelligence regarding a cigarette shipment from Tanjung Emas Port, Semarang.
This information was received by Kodaeral XII on Friday (11/9) at approximately 20:00 WIB. The cargo was transported using the Dharma Kartika VII vessel from Tanjung Emas Port to Dwikora Port, Pontianak.
Upon the ship’s arrival, the team discovered five trucks at approximately 01:00 WIB on Saturday (12/9) and detained them, along with the drivers, at the Kodaeral XII Patrol Unit Command Headquarters for further investigation.
From the initial inspection, officers found 23.681 million sticks of Esse, Win, Bheta, Helium, Trend, and Gudang Cengkeh brand cigarettes, as well as one million sticks of Tabaco brand cigarettes intended for export, which are suspected of lacking excise stamps.
Consequently, the total number of cigarettes found during the initial inspection reached approximately 23.681 million sticks.
Kodaeral XII, alongside Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) from West Kalimantan Customs, will conduct a recount to verify the quantity of goods and separate cigarettes with valid excise stamps from those suspected of violating excise regulations.
Sawa stated that the potential value of state losses from this discovery cannot yet be confirmed, as they are awaiting calculations from the West Kalimantan Customs PPNS.
“The drivers and the expedition service providers can currently be treated as witnesses. We have not yet identified the owner of the cargo,” he said.
Kodaeral XII will subsequently hand over the evidence to the West Kalimantan Customs PPNS for further legal proceedings once the counting and inspection are complete.
The suspected violation refers to Article 54 of Law Number 39 of 2007, concerning the Amendment to Law Number 11 of 1995 regarding Excise.
Sawa added that this enforcement action is part of the Navy’s efforts to support the government in eradicating smuggling and the circulation of goods that violate excise regulations, following directives from the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali, to increase vigilance against violations within Indonesian waters.