Riau Customs Destroys 25.6M Illegal Cigarettes Valued at IDR12.8B

The Riau Regional Office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise destroyed 25.6 million illegal cigarettes worth IDR12.8 billion on 26 October 2025. The cigarettes, believed to come from Phuket, Thailand, were seized after the motor sailing vessel Harapan Indah 99 GT was intercepted in Riau waters in June.

The joint operation included Customs offices in Dumai, Bengkalis, the Riau Islands Special Customs Office, and the Indonesian Navy base in Dumai. Officers recovered 5,120 cartons of Camclar Original cigarettes without tax stamps and detained a captain identified as MH. The evidence was crushed with a machine and then incinerated following a ruling by the Bengkalis District Court.

According to Bobby Situmorang, the action is based on customs and excise laws and prevents an estimated state loss of IDR51.62 billion. The destruction underscores Customs’ commitment to curb illegal cigarette trade that harms the economy and public health.