TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Customs and Excise Directorate-General considered the smuggling of Harley Davidson motorcycle and Brompton bicycle on an aircraft a new smuggling method of fancy goods to Indonesia.

“This is our first finding that luxury goods are smuggled on a newly-purchased aircraft,” said the directorate-general spokesman Deni Surjantoro at his office, Tuesday, December 3. “This is a new modus operandi.”

The Harley Davidson and Brompton bikes, including the spare parts, were smuggled on Garuda’s new aircraft Airbus A330-900 Neo. The jet departed from Toulouse, France, on Saturday, November 16 and landed in Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Sunday afternoon, November 17.

The plane boarded 22 officials of the flag carrier and ten cabin crews, as well as 18 cargo belonged to two passengers identified as SAW and LS. SAW owned 15 cargo filled with spare parts that could be assembled into one motorcycle, while LS owned three cargo containing the bicycle with its accessories.

“The two officials are passengers of the new aircraft,” Deni added.

Garuda Indonesia VP Corporate Secretary Ikhsan Rosan claimed that his employees were the real owner of the luxury goods, and they had self-declared their cargo. He ensured that they would abide by the prevailing law and complete all requirements set on the international customs, including paying the tax or re-exporting the goods.

IMAM HAMDI | CAESAR AKBAR