Police criticize customs officials

Police criticize customs officials

JAKARTA (JP): Tanjung Priok Seaport (KP3) Police in North
Jakarta believe that Customs and Excise officials at the port
could have played a significant role in helping people smuggle
dissembled cars into the country, an officer said on Monday.

KP3 police chief, Col. Edward Aritonang, said he still had no
definite proof but doubted there was a legitimate reason as to
why customs officials would allow dissembled cars and machines to
pass inspection.

He admitted that the prevailing law allows importers to import
automobile spare parts or car wrecks.

"But it (the customs office) should have to examine the pieces
thoroughly first. It doesn't mean that people can cut up or break
down new cars or luxury ones into pieces and then import them as
automobile spare parts," Edward said.

The officer was referring to the confiscation by his men on
Thursday last week of 67 luxury cars, all of which had been
dissembled, giving the impression that they were imported spare
parts or the wrecks of used cars.

The car pieces, mostly of Mercedez-Benz, Nissan and Toyota,
were found inside different containers in the port compound. They
were shipped from Japan and Malaysia.

Some of the cars had been cut precisely into two pieces.
According to Aritonang, the two pieces would be welded by the
owners later before selling the vehicles to interested parties.

When asked to comment, the head of the port's Customs and
Excise Office, Muhammad Zein, hastily dismissed the police
accusation.

"Some importers have a permit from the Ministry of Trade and
Industry to recondition used cars imported from overseas," he
said.

"We checked their documents, which were complete ... so we
released them," he added.

"If they (the importers) plan to weld the pieces together to
make a brand new car, well ... do we have to accept
accountability for that?" Zein asked.

Some of the evidence is being kept at the KP3 office at the
port. (09)