Kupang Customs destroys Rp1.56 billion of illegal cigarettes, alcohol and clothing

Labuan Bajo — Customs officials in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, have destroyed illegal goods valued at about Rp1.56 billion following a series of enforcement actions between August 2025 and April 2026, according to state radio RRI and local media reports. The public destruction took place on Thursday, 2 July 2026, at the Customs operational base in Tenau, Kupang.

The office said the operation prevented an estimated Rp1.02 billion in potential losses to state revenue, largely linked to unpaid excise on illegal cigarettes and alcohol, RRI reported. The event was carried out with regional leaders and law-enforcement agencies as part of a coordinated effort to curb illicit trade in East Nusa Tenggara.

According to RRI, the goods destroyed had previously been designated as state assets after being seized for violations of customs and excise law. They were valued at approximately Rp1.567 billion and included tobacco products, alcohol and imported used clothing.

The items destroyed were reported to comprise:

• 1,018,361 sticks of illegal cigarettes.
• 6.35 liters of drinks containing ethyl alcohol, classified as MMEA.
• 21 bundles of illegally imported used clothing, commonly referred to as ballpress.

Local media quoted Kupang Customs chief Machbub Dumron as saying the goods were seized through enforcement on sea routes and via delivery services in the office’s area of responsibility. The reports did not specify individual ports or the original countries of shipment.

Coordinated enforcement in an archipelagic province

Customs officials said the destruction formed part of efforts to break the distribution chain of illegal cigarettes and other prohibited goods in East Nusa Tenggara, which borders other countries and has extensive sea routes that can be exploited for smuggling.

According to RRI, the office framed the action as both a public deterrent and a measure to protect state revenue from excise leakage. Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages distributed outside the legal system can bypass tax and excise obligations, reducing government income.

The agency also linked the crackdown on imported used clothing to protection of domestic industries. Authorities said illegal second-hand clothing imports compete unfairly with compliant traders and manufacturers, although they did not provide data on specific businesses, prices or employment impacts.

How the goods were destroyed

RRI reported that Customs and its partners destroyed the cigarettes, alcohol and used clothing by burning and crushing them until they no longer had their original function or economic value. Officials stated that this approach was intended to ensure seized items could not re-enter circulation.

Customs encouraged the public and businesses to comply with customs and excise regulations and to report suspected illegal distribution of excisable goods, particularly cigarettes and alcohol. The destruction was presented as part of the government’s broader commitment to transparency and law enforcement in the customs and excise sector.

Part of wider regional actions

The Kupang operation comes amid broader enforcement and destruction of illegal goods across the Bali and Nusa Tenggara region. In a separate July 2026 event, the regional Customs office covering Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara reported destroying illegal goods worth more than Rp11.2 billion in Bali, and noted that seized goods from Kupang, Labuan Bajo, Atambua and other offices in Nusa Tenggara were being destroyed or scheduled for destruction in the same period.

Authorities have highlighted these actions as a response to persistent concerns over illegal cigarette circulation and smuggled consumer goods in the province.

Sources

• RRI Kupang – Bea Cukai Kupang Musnahkan Barang Ilegal Senilai Rp1,56 Miliar
• Detik Bali – Bea Cukai Kupang Bakar Rokok hingga Pakaian Bekas Ilegal Rp 1,5 Miliar
• Bali Portal News – Kanwil Bea Cukai Bali Nusra Musnahkan Barang Ilegal Senilai Rp11,2 Miliar
• KPKNL Kupang – Rp172 Juta Barang Ilegal Dimusnahkan Bea Cukai Kupang Amankan Hak Negara