PORTALJABAR, GARUT REGENCY - West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi together with the Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama and Garut Regent Abdusy Syakur Amin symbolically destroyed more than 44 million illegal cigarettes, at the Garut Regency Square, Wednesday (24/6/2026).

The total value of the goods destroyed reached IDR 65.1 billion with a potential state loss of IDR 32.9 billion.

This activity is the first destruction in 2026 organized by the West Java DJBC Regional Office together with the West Java Provincial Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP).

The illegal cigarettes destroyed were the result of enforcement actions, both carried out independently by Customs and Excise and through synergy in utilizing the Tobacco Excise Revenue Sharing Fund (DBHCHT) for law enforcement. This destruction was the result of enforcement actions conducted between July 2025 and May 2026.

The destruction has received approval from the Minister of Finance through the Directorate General of State Assets, where the destruction is the final stage of the process of taking action against illegal cigarettes by Customs and Excise.

After today's symbolic destruction, all illegal cigarettes will be taken to PT Mukti Mandiri Lestari (Plan Sadang), Ciwangi, Bungursari, Purwakarta Regency to be destroyed by crushing, destroying and burning them until they cannot be reused.

KDM, Dedi Mulyadi's nickname, expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of all parties who went into the field to eradicate the circulation of illegal cigarettes in West Java.

He also appealed to the public to no longer consume illegal cigarettes, and also to traders to no longer sell illegal cigarettes.

"Because if no one is selling, then of course no one will buy it," he said.

He also urged the public to actively report the discovery of illegal cigarettes. With the active participation of all parties, the circulation of illegal cigarettes will be reduced, if not eliminated.

"Later, we will create an online complaint reporting application. Anyone who reports will be given a reward," said KDM.

Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budhi Utama, stated that eradicating illegal cigarettes is not solely the responsibility of the authorities, but of the entire community. The public is urged to refrain from purchasing, selling, or distributing illegal cigarettes and to immediately report any indication of excise violations.

"Prevention through increasing public awareness will always be a better step than enforcement," he said.

Based on Law Number 39 of 2007 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 1995 concerning Excise, perpetrators of the distribution of Illegal Excisable Goods can be charged with Article 54, where anyone who offers, delivers, sells, or provides for sale excisable goods that are not affixed with excise stamps or affixed with other excise payment marks shall be punished with imprisonment of at least one year and a maximum of five years and/or a fine of at least twice the excise value and a maximum of ten times the excise value that should be paid.