Nokia phone smuggling scam sets off alarm bells

Nokia phone smuggling scam sets off alarm bells

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Blora Center, an independent body that monitors reports from
the public on corruption and abuse of power, revealed that
thousands of smuggled Nokia cellular phones have flocked the
local market.

"Ships that transported five containers filled with various
types of Nokia cell phone, including the latest 9500
Communicator, have been arriving at Tanjung Priok port since last
month," Blora Center director Jusuf Rizal told a press conference
on Wednesday.

Importer PT Sondang Marsinan Abadi (SMA) had claimed in its
import documentation that it was importing auto parts instead of
cell phones, he added.

The Blora Center, through its P.O. Box 909, which is reserved
for public complaints, has received copies of the import
documentation.

"I believe they are valid," Rizal said. "The first three
containers arrived here on board the ACX Magnolia on Oct. 18,
Oct. 20 and Oct. 26 respectively."

Due to inconsistencies between the actual contents of the
containers and the documentation, customs officers at Tanjung
Priok port claimed to have sent back the goods to the exporter.

"Our sources say that custom officials canceled the import
documentation and instructed the goods to be returned to the
exporter. Customs regulations, however, say that officers should
have confiscated the goods," Rizal said.

"We suspected the involvement of some customs officers at the
port in the smuggling racket. So, we decided to conduct our own
investigation and the results confirmed the reports we had
received," he added.

The other two containers arrived on the New Dynamic on Nov. 2.
"The last two are still in Tanjung Priok. They are also believed
to contain Nokia cell phones," Rizal said.

A spokesman for the customs service, Susiwiyono, told The
Jakarta Post that officials at the port had confirmed the
presence of two containers imported by PT SMA.

"They have found there are indications that customs
regulations have been violated. We have placed both containers
under customs service supervision," he said.

The customs service's prevention department in Tanjung Priok,
Sutejo, told the Post that both containers had been "sealed"
since Nov. 2. "We are still investigating whether customs
violations have occurred."

However, he refused to confirm whether the containers
contained Nokia cell phones.

Both Susiwiyono and Sutejo declined to say if the three
containers had been sent back to the exporter.

"Only two containers have been imported by PT SMA, not five,"
Susiwiyono said.