Director general of customs and excise, Askolani, said that the illegal iPhone 16s were seized from passenger luggage sent from Batam from November 4–27, 2024.
"A total of 102 iPhone were confiscated. The products were sent from Batam to Soetta and other airports," he informed during an activity held to destroy confiscated goods, which was conducted by Customs and Excise authorities in Tangerang on Friday.
According to him, the step is in keeping with the Minister of Trade's Regulation Number 8 of 2024 concerning the policy of illegally imported goods.
He informed that the phones will be destroyed and firm action will be taken against those who tried to smuggle them illegally.
In the future, his office will continue to act against the entry of such imported goods as part of efforts to protect the domestic industry and economy.
"This is in line with the Trade Ministry and Industry Ministry regulations to protect our industry and economy," Askolani said.
The Ministry of Industry has prohibited the sales of the latest Apple product, the iPhone 16, in Indonesia.
The US technology giant has not yet obtained a domestic component level certificate (TKDN) for the iPhone 16 series.
Industry Ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief informed that iPhone 16s entering Indonesia with passengers cannot be sold in the country and are meant for personal use.
The iPhone 16 is included in the category of postal and telecommunications goods that may enter Indonesia through the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, based on Article 35 of Government Regulation Number 46 of 2021 concerning Post, Telecommunications, and Broadcasting.
The government has limited the maximum number of iPhone 16s carried by each passenger to two units.
The regulation also states that goods carried and/or goods sent through postal operators that are used for personal needs, not traded, and/or not for commercial purposes are exempt from technical standard obligations, which include the 35 percent TKDN obligation.
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Translator: Azmi Syamsul, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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