Stamp forgery syndicate's methods range from reconditioning to reprinting

The Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) of the Ministry of Finance, together with the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, has uncovered the modus operandi used by a cross-province syndicate counterfeiting duty stamps, ranging from independent printing to the reconditioning of used stamps.

Director General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance, Bimo Wijayanto, explained at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday that, based on the investigation results, the perpetrators divided their operations into two main illegal production techniques to deceive the public.

“The methods used are quite varied. There are stamps produced from scratch using commercial raw materials to be sold as resembling genuine ones, and there are also stamps that have already been used and are then reconditioned to remove signs of their use,” he said.

Bimo explained that in the new printing process, the syndicate operating in five provinces — DKI Jakarta, North Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, and East Java — did not use special paper belonging to state printing company Perum Peruri, but rather ordinary paper freely sold on the market.

“The suspects admitted to learning the imitation techniques self-taught through social media platforms and YouTube channels,” he said.

In addition to production, the change in methods is also significant in the distribution channel. The perpetrators not only relied on direct sales through stationery shops, kiosks, and resellers, but also utilised digital marketplaces.

“Current trading patterns have changed; illegal products also take advantage of the convenience of digital channels to reach consumers in regions more widely,” said Bimo.

He added that to attract buyers and resellers, the syndicate circulated the illegal stamps with price offers far below the official nominal value of Rp10,000.

For their actions, the counterfeiters face charges under Articles 24 and 25 of Law Number 10 of 2020 on Stamp Duty, with criminal sanctions of up to 7 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp500 million, while perpetrators who recondition used stamps face a maximum penalty of 3 years’ imprisonment or a fine of Rp200 million.