Jakarta. Indonesia’s customs and excise revenue reached Rp 240.28 trillion ($13.44 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, up 8.57% from the same period last year and equivalent to 71.51% of this year’s Rp 336 trillion target.

Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara said the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) would continue to step up enforcement against smuggling and illegal goods, including strategic commodities and natural resources such as gold and nickel.

“The enforcement efforts carried out by DJBC are aimed at protecting Indonesia’s economy. Tackling illegal imports is not merely a customs issue or a measure of your organizational performance; it concerns the broader public interest,” Suahasil said in an official statement received Tuesday.

He said illegal imports could directly hurt domestic businesses and workers. The entry of used clothing bales, for example, could undermine micro, small and medium enterprises, tailors, the textile industry and its supporting sectors, while illegal rice imports could hurt domestic farmers and consumers

Suahasil said customs revenue should also be viewed beyond its nominal value, as it provides resources to finance development, strengthen public services, maintain people’s purchasing power and support the government’s priority programs.

At the same time, he called on the DJBC to improve services by providing greater convenience, speed, transparency and certainty for the public and businesses. The agency is expected to facilitate the flow of goods, improve business competitiveness, boost exports and support economic growth, while serving not only as a revenue collector but also as a community protector, trade facilitator and industrial assistant.

Suahasil said the DJBC would face increasingly complex challenges from geopolitical shifts, changes in trade and technology, and the growing diversity of cross-border commerce.

He said the agency needed to focus on three areas: developing personnel with strong integrity and competence, strengthening technology and intelligence capabilities, and improving business processes through greater integration and coordination across government agencies.

“Strengthening these three aspects is expected to improve service quality, strengthen revenue collection and ease doing business,” he said.

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