Eyewitness News – BADUNG
To strengthen ties, foster synergy, and maintain rapport, the Regional Office of Customs and Excise for Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) hosted a “Coffee Morning with Bali Media” on Wednesday morning, Tuesday September 2, 2026.
Beyond addressing information transparency, media access, and knowledge sharing for 2026, the Head of the Customs Regional Office for Bali, NTB, and NTT, Iyan Rubiyanto, focused the discussion on the enforcement against illicit cigarettes.
The Regional Office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) strictly prohibits illegal cigarettes, citing statutory violations and public health risks.
Head of the Customs Regional Office for Bali, NTB, and NTT, Iyan Rubiyanto
Iyan Rubiyanto stated that illegal cigarettes are a major concern due to unknown production ingredients and the loss of state revenue from unpaid excise taxes.
Almost every day, my team and I intercept illegal cigarettes. We rely on intelligence networks, and we welcome any information from the media and the public. Illegal cigarettes undercut legitimate tax revenue because they are cheap and easily accessible. They displace legal, taxed products, directly hitting state revenue,” Iyan said during a doorstop interview.
He added that unregulated tobacco mixtures in illicit products pose unverified health risks to consumers.
“This clearly jeopardizes public health while indirectly harming both the public and the state,” he added, emphasizing the need for public education on the matter.
“We must educate the public—these illegal cigarettes might contain hazardous, unverified ingredients.”
The session also covered efforts to revive export channels for Bali’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), transaction values related to customs fraud from 2025–2026, and cross-border customs mapping.
Reporter: Daniel Herry
