"The important aspect is that imports are not allowed. The minister (Zulkifli Hasan) has said that imports of used clothing several times is not allowed. What they sell are not always imported goods," Sambuaga stated at the Ministry of Trade Office, Jakarta, Monday.
Sambuaga made the statement in response to the continued rampant sale of used clothing at Senen Market in Jakarta.
Sambuaga emphasized that traders are allowed to sell used clothing as long as they are from within the country and not imported from abroad or illegally as regulated in Minister of Trade Regulation Number 18 of 2021 concerning goods prohibited from export and goods banned from import.
Inspection and supervision are also regulated in Minister of Trade Regulation Number 51 of 2020 concerning Inspection and Supervision of Import Trading Procedures after passing through the Custom Area, or post border zone.
Hence, the sale of used products from imported sources is illegal, as it violates the rules.
"For example, used clothes, I have clothes that I sell. They are not imported goods. I buy them locally. I even buy some from craftsmen. This means that what we prohibit is imports because importing used clothes is illegal," Sambuaga remarked.
The Ministry of Trade noted that in 2023, it had destroyed imported used clothing and footwear worth Rp174.8 billion (US$11.1 million).
Hasan stated that the Ministry of Trade had supervised 1,061 businesses comprising 497 businesses from the supervision of trade sector activities and 594 businesses from post border supervision.
The supervision is conducted to prevent the circulation of imported second-hand clothing, imported food and beverages without permits, as well as the smuggling of other illegal goods. The Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Attorney General's Office, and National Police are working together to confiscate goods in warehouses and the Customs Area, close places selling used clothing, and remove links related to the trade in imported used clothing.
Translator: Maria Cicilia Galuh Prayudhia, Cindy Frishanti Oct
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
