Police seize 9,271 packs in Flores illegal cigarette probe
East Nusa Tenggara police say they have seized 9,271 packs of cigarettes, equivalent to 185,420 sticks, in an operation across Ende, Nagekeo, Ngada and West Manggarai targeting alleged distribution without required trade permits.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 3 min read
Kupang — Police in East Nusa Tenggara have seized 9,271 packs of cigarettes, equivalent to 185,420 sticks, in an operation targeting alleged illegal cigarette distribution in four regencies on Flores island: Ende, Nagekeo, Ngada and West Manggarai.
According to the Directorate of Special Crimes (Ditreskrimsus) of the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police, officers from the Industry and Trade Subdirectorate inspected selected kiosks and shops in the four districts based on public information and a formal investigation order.
The cigarettes are alleged to have been traded without the business permits required under Indonesian trade regulations. Police said the products are being treated as evidence in an ongoing investigation into non-compliance with trade legality for tobacco products.
Operation across four regencies
Investigators stated that the inspections were carried out over a period that culminated in mid-July 2026, when the seizure was formally reported by the police in Kupang.
The total of 9,271 packs comprises several brands that investigators say were circulating without proper trade permits. Local media reports, citing police, identify three brands among the seized goods: Manry, Has Djaya and Humer, each contributing to the total number of packs and sticks taken from kiosks and shops.
Police said the cigarettes had been supplied to retailers by a sales representative originating from West Manggarai Regency. The identity of the representative and the individual retailers involved has not been made public.
Investigative focus and legal framework
The East Nusa Tenggara police have framed the case as a violation of trade legality rather than an excise-only issue. Investigators are applying provisions of Law No. 7 of 2014 on Trade, which require business operators to hold appropriate trade permits when distributing goods.
Officers from Ditreskrimsus have indicated that the operation is part of a broader effort to curb the circulation of cigarettes that lack required documentation, which can undermine compliant businesses and distort market competition.
The police have not yet announced arrests or the filing of charges in court. Officials have also not disclosed whether business operators or the sales representative have been formally named as suspects or are being processed administratively.
Next steps and coordination
Investigators say they will expand the inquiry to map the distribution chain and determine which parties bear responsibility for the circulation of cigarettes without proper trade permits.
The police are coordinating with Customs and Excise offices to ensure that any excise-related aspects of the case are handled in accordance with each institution’s authority. The seized cigarettes remain under police control as evidence pending further investigative steps.
Police have urged the public and business operators to comply with applicable trade and excise regulations, noting that enforcement actions against unlicensed cigarette distribution will continue in East Nusa Tenggara and on Flores.
Sources
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