Jakarta. The Soekarno-Hatta airport has officially restricted the entry of imported goods that passengers had bought during their overseas travels.

The trade ministry last year launched a regulation on imported goods, which officially came into effect over the weekend. According to this regulation, Indonesia will adopt what it calls the “border” system, under which customs authorities will be in charge of checking the imported goods. This will replace the “post-border” system in which the government is monitoring the goods once they get distributed in the market.

“The switch from a post-border to a border system will apply to electronics, footwear, textiles, bags. Importers should be aware of this new regulation, and plan well for their import activities,” Soekarno-Hatta customs office chief Gatot Sugeng Wibowo said in his press statement on Tuesday.

The airport is also restricting the number of certain imported items that a passenger can bring. 

For instance, a passenger can take a maximum of 2 pairs of footwear, as well as 2 bags. Textile products are capped at 5 pieces per passenger. The airport only allows each passenger to carry 5 units of electronics worth totaling $1,500. Mobile phones, headsets, and tablet computers are capped at 2 units per passenger in one year.

“It is normal to see people bringing those goods when they return to Indonesia be it as a consumptive good or a souvenir for family members and relatives,” Gatot said.

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