Police Chief Forms Smuggling Task Force to Prevent State Revenue Leakage
Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has formed the Task Force for Law Enforcement against Smuggling Offences. The formation of the task force follows instructions from President Prabowo Subianto to prevent leakage of state revenues.
“The Task Force for Law Enforcement against Smuggling Offences that harm the state’s wealth has been established through a Police Chief’s Directive,” stated Director of Special Economic Crimes at National Police Headquarters, Brigadier General Ade Safri Simanjuntak, in a written statement on Thursday (16/4).
Ade Safri explained that the task force’s operational targets include all criminal acts related to smuggling, whether illegal exports or imports.
This includes smuggling of natural resources (SDA) and environmental products, whether conducted through or outside Customs Areas.
He noted that common modus operandi used by perpetrators include disguising permit documents through underinvoicing, under-accounting, and misdeclaration.
“The Indonesian National Police are committed to cracking down firmly on all forms of smuggling to safeguard the state’s wealth, recover losses, and prevent leakage of state financial revenues,” he said.
“Firm law enforcement without favouritism to support national economic resilience, which is the foundation of state sovereignty,” he added.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto directed the Police Chief, TNI Commander, and Finance Minister to address smuggling activities.
Prabowo emphasised that there is still significant unfinished business. One of them, he said, relates to state financial leakage due to smuggling practices.
Therefore, he assigned a special task to Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, TNI Commander General Agus Subianto, and Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to stop smuggling.
“TNI Commander, Police Chief, Finance Minister, you have institutions tasked with stopping smuggling. Use all the authority you have to enforce that,” he explained.