Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Customs and Excise authorities thwarted attempts to illegally export 25.88 kilograms of gold worth Rp61.95 billion (approximately US$3.7 million) through five international airports in October 2026.
“Throughout October 2026, Customs officers seized 25.88 kilograms of gold worth around Rp61.95 billion at five international airports,” Priyono Triatmojo, director of enforcement and investigation at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, said at a news conference in Jakarta on Monday.
According to Priyono, most of those suspected of involvement in the illegal gold exports were foreign nationals attempting to take the gold overseas.
The five airports were Juanda International Airport in East Java, Kertajati International Airport in West Java, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Yogyakarta International Airport, and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten.
“The state is taking action to safeguard its natural resources, in line with the government's commitment to implementing the President's Asta Cita vision and programs,” Priyono said.
He reaffirmed Customs' commitment to securing the country's entry and exit points against smuggling, particularly the illegal movement of natural resources.
Customs officers have apprehended those suspected of involvement and secured the seized gold as evidence for further legal proceedings.
The investigations and enforcement operations involved coordination with the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Attorney General's Office, and the relevant airport authorities.
“We anticipate various smuggling methods, optimize the use of intelligence information, and sharpen our risk analysis to prevent illegal gold smuggling,” Priyono said, adding that cooperation among the relevant agencies enables Customs to conduct large-scale enforcement operations.
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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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