Prabowo drops plan to disband customs after gains
Cargo vehicles carrying illegal goods are now held until checks end, while an AI monitoring system is set within 1-2 weeks.
The government has decided not to disband the Directorate General of Customs and Excise after President Prabowo Subianto judged its performance to be improving. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the gains were visible from an organizational reshuffle, the placement of new officials, fewer smuggled goods in markets, and increased enforcement against illegal cigarettes and gold smuggling.
Purbaya said the enforcement approach has also changed. If previously only illegal cargo was seized, trucks or vehicles carrying it are now held until inspections are complete so the cost of violations becomes higher. Through June 2026, customs and excise revenue stood at Rp152 triliun, up 3.4 percent year on year. Customs is also preparing an AI-based monitoring system linked to offices across Indonesia.