en.malanginspirasi.com – Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) expanded its investigation into alleged irregularities at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise by raiding the office of major tobacco producer PT Djarum in Kudus, Central Java, and the local Kudus Customs and Excise Supervision and Service Office (KPPBC TMC Kudus),” Wednesday (28/10/2026) .
The searches, conducted under a new general investigation warrant (sprindik) issued in October 2026, form part of the ongoing development of a case that began with a February 2026 sting operation targeting customs officials over bribery and gratuities related to imports.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said investigators were probing potential state revenue losses linked to cigarette excise (cukai), specifically issues surrounding excise stamps (pita cukai) applied to cigarette packs produced by Djarum.
“The initial allegation in this investigation relates to state revenue concerning excise at PT Djarum,” Budi told reporters.
He added that investigators were examining possible kickbacks or other payments from the company to customs officials in connection with the handling of excise stamps, as well as other potential modes of irregularities.
Documents and electronic evidence were secured during the raids, which were still ongoing at the time of initial reports.
No suspects have been named under the new warrant.
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PT Djarum, one of Indonesia’s largest cigarette manufacturers and part of the Hartono family business empire (which also controls Bank Central Asia), responded cooperatively.
Corporate Communications Manager Budi Darmawan stated that the company respects and complies with the law and would fully cooperate with authorities, while noting that management was not yet fully informed of the case details.
The February sting had previously led to several suspects being named, including customs officials and private parties linked to import facilitation, with some already facing court proceedings.
Earlier expansions of the probe in mid-2026 had also focused on tobacco sector companies in Central and East Java regarding excise administration.
The raids quickly generated discussion on social media, with many users connecting the action to the Hartono family’s ownership of BCA amid circulating and unconfirmed rumors of banking deals or corporate moves.
Some speculated about broader motivations, while others focused on the substance of the excise probe.
One user noted the timeline from the February operation to the October raids and linked it to ongoing BCA market.
Others pushed back against conspiracy narratives tying the raid to banking rumors.
A commenter responded to market gossip about a possible BCA-related deal .
Local and national accounts shared news of the searches, with some highlighting the focus on potential deviations in cigarette excise revenue collection.
The discussion underscored public interest in both the specific allegations of state losses and the high-profile nature of the company involved, while official statements continued to emphasize that the probe remains at an early stage and targets specific customs-related irregularities rather than broader corporate activities.
KPK has indicated it will provide further updates as the investigation progresses, including any additional evidence or summonses.
