Indonesia Foils Gold Smuggling Attempt at Soekarno-Hatta Airport
The total gold found was 23.79 kilograms with an estimated market value of Rp63 billion.
On August 11, 2026, Indonesian customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport successfully intercepted two separate gold smuggling attempts. In total, they recovered 23.79 kilograms of gold, worth an estimated Rp63 billion. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa revealed that the two incidents employed different smuggling methods.
In the first case, gold was hidden using unconventional means, such as insertion into the body, while in the second case, ground handling staff facilitated the transport of gold through official airport channels.
Purbaya emphasized that customs inspections cannot depend solely on physical checks, rather they require a multifaceted approach incorporating technology, risk assessment, data analysis, field supervision, and cooperation between agencies. During a press conference at the Soekarno-Hatta Customs and Excise Office in Tangerang on August 13, 2026, Djaka Budhi Utama, Director General of Customs and Excise, explained the details of the first case.
Seven foreign passengers, destined for Hong Kong, were found to be carrying 41 cylindrical 24-karat gold pieces, amounting to 17.43 kilograms or approximately Rp46 billion in value.
The second case began with a tip from Aviation Security about ground handling staff attempting to smuggle gold via carry-on bags at the loading dock of Terminal 3. The gold was then allegedly handed over to passengers bound for Dubai. Two individuals were taken into custody for this offense: an Indonesian ground handling staff member and a Dubai-bound passenger. They were found in possession of seven gold bars of varying qualities, weighing a total of 6.35 kilograms and valued at around Rp17 billion.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
