Purbaya Cracks Down on Illegal Thrift Imports, Says 'I'll Arrest Those Who Refuse First'

October 27, 2025 | 08:42 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has vowed to take strict action against illegal importers of second-hand clothing, warning that those who refuse to comply with regulations will face arrest.

Responding to resistance from thrift store operators against tighter import rules, Purbaya said, “Those who refuse, I will arrest first. They are effectively admitting to illegally importing goods, so enforcement will be firm,” speaking at Bank Mega Tower in Jakarta on Monday, October 27, 2025.

Under Indonesian law, the import of second-hand clothing and textiles is prohibited. Article 47 of Law No. 7 of 2014 on Trade requires importers to bring in new goods, aiming to protect domestic industries.

Purbaya explained that enforcement will initially focus on entry points, such as ports, rather than on items already circulating in the market. By cracking down at these key locations through the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the supply of illegal goods will diminish, encouraging traders to switch to domestic products.

“If imports are restricted, traders will have no choice but to buy from local SMEs,” he added.

Data from Customs and Excise highlights the scale of the issue. From 2024 to August 2025, authorities conducted 2,584 operations targeting smuggled second-hand clothing, with goods valued at around Rp 49.44 billion.

Between August 9 and 12, Customs and Excise, in collaboration with the Navy, seized 747 bales of clothing and accessories and 8 bales of second-hand bags worth Rp1.5 billion at Tanjung Priok Port.

Nirwala Dwi Heriyanto, Director of Communication and User Guidance at Customs, said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to eliminate illegal shipments.

Djaka Budhi Utama, Director General of Customs and Excise, added that most of the smuggled goods originated from Malaysia. Crackdowns in August targeted two locations—Kalimantan and the Malacca Strait, which borders Malaysia.

“Nearly all the second-hand clothing entering Indonesia comes from Malaysia,” Djaka said at a press briefing at Tanjung Priok Harbor on Thursday, August 14, 2025.

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