TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Tangerang Customs have foiled the distributions of counterfeit cigarettes in South Tangerang city. The cigarette packs, with fake excise ribbons on them, were found in a minivan in North Serpong.
Customs officers have arrested the minivan driver, who is now facing up to five years in prison or paying a fine of up to ten times of the excise value.
The counterfeit cigarettes' "brand" is Gudang Ganam Suriya, a word play on Gudang Garam Surya, and Rolling.
"They were going to sell 208,800 of these illegal cigarettes to retail stalls in South Tangerang," South Tangerang Custom Office supervision chief Aris Sudarminto said on Wednesday Rabu 24 Oktober 2018.
All of the fake-brand cigarettes have been confiscated, and after further investigation, it is revealed that they are not listed. The counterfeiter went so far as making fake excise ribbons.
The minivan driver, Harwon, said the cigarettes came from a supplier in Bogor. The authority from Bogor Customs is pursuing the culprits.
"The distribution of illegal cigarettes in the supervision area of the Tangerang Customs Office has the potential to incur a state loss of approximately Rp80 million," Aris said.
TAUFIQ SIDDIQ | DANANG FIRMANTO
