National logistics and supply chain business players have expressed their appreciation and full support for the Ministry of Finance’s efforts to combat illegal imports through enforcement actions on incoming goods at ports. These efforts are viewed as strategic and highly important, with multiplier effects, particularly in protecting domestic industries, safeguarding state revenues, and improving the governance of the national logistics system.
Chairman of the Advisory Board of ALFI and Senior Vice President of FIATA, Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, assessed the firm actions taken by Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to eradicate illegal import practices at ports—Indonesia’s main gateways for global trade.
“We fully support Minister Purbaya’s policy to prevent and eliminate illegal imports from entering the domestic market. From a logistics and supply chain perspective, such policy interventions build confidence among national business players and improve the integrity of the national logistics system,” he said.
Yukki added that in implementing this policy, business players and industry stakeholders expect legal certainty, particularly in taking firm action against perpetrators of illegal import practices, as well as any government officials involved in facilitating such activities. In addition, field practices related to document verification and container inspections must be strengthened.
“Without legal certainty in both regulations and enforcement, efforts to combat illegal imports will be difficult, as they will fail to create a deterrent effect or change the operational behavior of illegal importers,” he emphasized.
From a data perspective, illegal imports have weakened the competitiveness and resilience of national industries, particularly the textile sector and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). According to data from the Ministry of Finance, in 2024 illegal imports were dominated by textiles and textile products (TPT), reaching Rp4.6 trillion. Furthermore, layoffs in the textile industry have continued to rise as a result of illegal imports of textile commodities.
Furthermore, to combat illegal imports at ports, national logistics business players have proposed that the government enhance inspection, examination, and physical supervision processes at ports, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology to promote transparency and detect discrepancies between goods and documentation.
“In addition, it is crucial to implement Risk-Based Inspection (RBI), or stricter inspections for higher-risk containers based on importer profiles, as well as conduct importer verification audits to ensure credibility. Strengthened intelligence coordination among Customs (DJBC), the National Police, the Armed Forces (TNI), and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) is also necessary to monitor illegal goods. We believe these policy recommendations can effectively help eradicate illegal imports starting from ports,” Yukki concluded.
—
The article has been published and can be accessed here
