Kuta, Bali (ANTARA) – Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise in Badung District, Bali, thwarted an attempt to illegally export 10.4 kilograms of gold bullion worth an estimated Rp26 billion (US$1.4 million) to Hong Kong through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
“The gold was concealed on the passenger’s body to avoid detection,” Head of Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise Wawan Dharmawan said on Wednesday.
Officers arrested a man identified as ZG, a Chinese national, on Sunday (September 6) as he was preparing to depart for Hong Kong on a Cathay Pacific flight.
Dharmawan explained that the case began with intelligence information concerning a passenger allegedly carrying gold bullion who was scheduled to leave Indonesia through Ngurah Rai Airport on Sunday.
His team then coordinated with airport security, Immigration, and other officers at the departure terminal to conduct surveillance.
At the terminal, officers observed ZG behaving suspiciously and conducted an inspection, during which they found several brown packages suspected of containing precious metals.
The officers found 10 brown packages containing 14 solid pieces that, based on inspection and testing, were identified as gold bars.
To confirm the type and content of the goods, Ngurah Rai Customs and Excise conducted further testing through the Surabaya Customs Laboratory Center (BLBC) for the Ngurah Rai Service Unit.
The test results showed that the goods were gold with a purity of more than 99 percent.
The office subsequently coordinated with law enforcement authorities for further investigation and legal action.
According to Dharmawan, the suspect was charged under Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 on Customs, in conjunction with Article 20 of the Criminal Code and Article 2 paragraph 8 of Attachment 1, point 46 of Law Number 1 of 2006 concerning Criminal Adjustments.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp5 billion (US$276,000).
The Indonesian government has issued Minister of Finance Regulation Number 80 of 2025 concerning the imposition of export duties on gold commodity exports.
The regulation stipulates the imposition of value-added tax (VAT) ranging from 7.5 percent to 15 percent, depending on the type and level of gold processing.
The provision is part of the government’s efforts to maintain domestic gold availability and price stability while encouraging greater added value through domestic processing.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut S W, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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