Prabowo Directs Customs Chief to Tighten Border Surveillance

Director General of Customs and Excise Djaka Budhi Utama has disclosed a special assignment from President Prabowo Subianto to tighten border surveillance, particularly in coastal regions. The directive, received during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta, focuses on preventing the smuggling of illegal and prohibited goods. "I was summoned and told to tighten borders and coastal areas from the smuggling of illegal goods and prohibited items," Djaka stated at the Presidential Palace Complex, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (22/9/2026). He specified that these prohibited items include narcotics and bundles of used clothing (balpres). To address this, Djaka outlined a strategy that includes deploying additional equipment and personnel to strengthen security. He specifically pointed to the Malacca Strait as a primary area for enhanced patrols. "Yes, along the waters of the Malacca Strait, we have operational bases. We have several, around more than a hundred vessels there, which we will fully utilize. But all of that depends on the available budget," Djaka explained. Regarding funding, he mentioned that additional budget has been secured during a meeting with the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives. "Yes, we were given an additional budget yesterday during a meeting at the budget committee," he added. Djaka's participation in a limited meeting on the development of the textile and textile product industry (TPT) was also noted. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, who attended the same meeting, confirmed that Djaka was indeed given a special task to prevent the entry of illegally imported textile bundles. "Specifically for the downstream sector, related to garments, where disruptions through kilogram imports or balpres imports are concerned, the Director General of Customs and Excise was also asked to immediately address this. Because this greatly disrupts domestic garment producers," Airlangga explained. Information Source: Detik