"We had seized the illegal cigarettes between 2010 and 2011, but we recently got the license to destroy them," said the Chief of Prosecution and Investigation of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise of Tanjung Perak I Office, Eko Darmanto.
Between 2010 and 2011, personnel from the Customs and Excise Office conducted prosecutions of 69 anonymous illegal cigarettes suspects.
The Customs and Excise Office confiscated 1,352 cartons and 104,145 packs of cigarettes and tobacco products of various types and brands.
The office also destroyed 191,541 fake cigarettes and banderols, a drum of mixed tobacco, seventeen cigarette rollers and a bundle of labels.
"The demolition license was issued by the Finance Ministry on October 3, 2012," said Darmanto.
By destroying the cigarettes and tobacco products, the Customs and Excise Office reduced national losses by Rp2.6 billion.
"We had to destroy these confiscated goods to avoid irresponsible actions, by irresponsible people," he said. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
