Tangerang. Indonesian customs authorities have foiled an alleged gold smuggling operation at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, seizing 17.55 kilograms of gold and precious metals worth an estimated Rp 45.73 billion ($2.56 million).

Hengky Tomuan Parlindungan Aritonang, head of customs at the airport, said the seizures resulted from intensified inspections carried out between mid-April and May 2026 at Terminal 3.

“During that period, joint teams together with related stakeholders conducted 12 enforcement operations with total gold evidence reaching 17.55 kilograms,” Hengky said on Tuesday.

Authorities said the confiscated items included gold bars, coins, and precious metals disguised as jewelry. In one case, officers discovered a gold necklace weighing around 300 grams that a passenger allegedly wore to avoid detection.

Smugglers also concealed gold inside luggage and clothing pockets, officials said. In one case, a passenger was found carrying as much as 10 kilograms of gold alone, while others transported between 200 grams and 3 kilograms.

According to customs officials, 11 of the 12 suspects were Chinese nationals traveling to Hong Kong, while the remaining suspect was an Indonesian citizen headed to the same destination.

Authorities are continuing customs investigations and laboratory testing to verify the gold content and purity of the seized items.

Customs officials are also investigating the possibility of an international smuggling network after discovering that several suspects traveled on the same flights and used similar concealment methods.

“We are still conducting intensive examinations of the passengers to determine each individual’s role and trace the possibility of international network involvement,” Hengky said.

Under Indonesian regulations, passengers carrying gold or jewelry abroad are required to declare the items to customs authorities. Officials said none of the suspects made the required declarations.

Indonesia has tightened oversight of gold exports after introducing new export duties on gold products starting Jan. 1, 2026, under Finance Ministry Regulation No. 80/2025. The policy covers various forms of gold exports, including bullion, granules, and minted bars.

The government says the measure is intended to support downstream development of Indonesia’s gold industry while boosting state revenue.

Customs authorities said they will continue strengthening passenger profiling and cross-agency coordination to monitor illegal exports and enforce trade regulations at the country’s busiest airport.

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