Customs officers foil attempt to smuggle in cell phones worth rp60 billion

Batam
(ANTARA News) - Customs and Excise officers of Riau Islands foiled an
attempt to smuggle in 83,000 units of cellular phones and their
accessories worth Rp60 billion from Singapore, Riau Islands Customs and
Excise Head Jusuf Indarto said here on Tuesday.

"The illegal entry of goods of that value could have caused the state to lose Rp7 billion in taxes," he said.

Indarto
told reporters that the handphone sets were shipped from Singapore to
Batam in a wooden motor boat, "KM Harapan Baru Gt 7", which was
skippered by Tan A Tie and manned by a five-man crew.

He said the customs officers arrested them in the waters of Batu Beranti, near Sambu Batam island on Saturday.

The
skipper and five crew members are now being held on charges of
violating a customs law which is punisable by 1 to 10 years in jail and
a fine of Rp50 million to Rp5 billion. (*) END