Labuan Bajo destroys 832,240 illegal cigarettes in customs crackdown

Labuan Bajo — Bea Cukai Labuan Bajo destroyed 832,240 cigarettes and 1.9 litres of alcoholic beverages on Sept. 30, 2026, following enforcement operations conducted between June 2025 and July 2026.

The destruction involved goods seized in nine regencies under the customs office’s supervision. Officials said the cigarettes were machine-made kretek and white cigarettes, while the alcoholic beverages were classified as groups B and C products containing ethyl alcohol. The goods were destroyed symbolically at the Bea Cukai Labuan Bajo office before being taken to the Warloka landfill in Manggarai Barat for burning and burial.

Why the crackdown matters in Labuan Bajo

For foreign residents and visitors, the operation shows that Labuan Bajo and Manggarai Barat are being treated primarily as distribution and sales routes for illegal cigarettes, rather than as production centres. Customs officials said enforcement focused on the movement of excise goods through the area and on their circulation to kiosks and shops.

The destroyed items were designated as state-owned goods after 45 enforcement records covering the June 2025-to-July 2026 period. The estimated value of the destroyed goods was reported at Rp1.249 billion (about US$75,000), with potential state losses of more than Rp815 million (about US$49,000).

The operation is part of joint enforcement involving Bea Cukai, the Manggarai Barat municipal police unit and the Labuan Bajo naval base. Earlier enforcement in the region included seizures linked to transport routes and distribution networks, underscoring the officials’ focus on stopping illegal cigarettes before they reach retailers.

Sources

• detikBali — established regional news organisation
• RRI — national public radio news organisation
• Tribunnews Kupang — regional news organisation
• labuanbajo.beacukai.go.id
• khazanah.republika.co.id