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JAMBI, bhayaksa.net—- The distribution of illicit Excisable Goods (BKC) under the brand name “Marlong Filter Black” is now massively infiltrating the Jambi Province area. This machine-rolled clove cigarette product, packaged in 20-stick packs and manufactured by PR. Indonesia Raya—a non-procedural, home-based cigarette factory based in Pamekasan Regency, East Java Province—has systematically penetrated the local commercial market without being affixed with the state’s official excise tax stamps.
The chronology of this black-market commodity’s trade allegedly features a highly sophisticated and organized distribution network. The syndicate is allegedly initiating the movement of goods from production hotbeds in Madura, East Java, before crossing over to Sumatra Island. This supply of unstamped cigarettes is allegedly heavily utilizing the land infrastructure of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road to accelerate transport. To evade interdiction screening at checkpoints, the syndicate allegedly deploys various modes of land transportation, ranging from mixed-load logistics trucks and disguised box vans to private minibuses fitted with heavily tinted windows.
Based on field investigation findings, the flow of these illicit products converges at several strategic transit points within Jambi City. The secret storage warehouses serving as the syndicate’s primary targets and staging grounds are allegedly scattered across multiple suburban locations. These include hidden rented storefronts in the Simpang IV Sipin area, rented residential homes in the Telanaipura district, and disguised logistics warehouses in the South Jambi area. From these nodes, supplies are distributed covertly via a broken-cell system directly to mom-and-pop grocery stores, coffee shops, and traditional wholesalers.
Marlong has rapidly dominated the grassroots market due to its deeply discounted pricing. In Jambi City, this illicit cigarette is sold for approximately IDR 14,000 per pack, a figure that stands in stark contrast to legitimate, stamped cigarettes, which now average well over IDR 30,000 due to progressive excise tariff hikes mandated under Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) Number 161/PMK.04/2022. This cheap price phenomenon was directly acknowledged by local consumers.
“The price is only IDR 14,000 per pack. For those of us earning a daily wage, Marlong cigarettes are a budget-friendly alternative because the packaging and taste closely resemble expensive branded filter cigarettes. The product is easily found in small neighborhood shops,” admitted a local consumer identified by the initials AN (40) when interviewed in the South Jambi area.
However, amid the massive circulation of Marlong—which threatens to drain state revenues and directly violates criminal law under Articles 54 and 56 of Law Number 39 Year 2007 concerning Excise—efforts to secure verified confirmation and public information transparency have hit a brick wall.
To ensure the validity and balance of this report, a reporter from bhayaksa.net attempted to seek official confirmation from the Jambi Type Madya Pabean B Customs and Excise Office (KPPBC) via the WhatsApp messaging application. However, the attempt at confirmation came to an abrupt halt. The journalist’s WhatsApp contact was instantly blocked unilaterally by a Jambi Customs officer utilizing the WhatsApp number +62896-54XXXXXX, identified by the initials MHR.
This blocking action appears highly suspicious. Moments before blocking the number, the officer identified as MHR offered only a brief response, directing the reporter to interact via the automated Customs Chat Bot. This sudden wall of silence and cut-off of communication triggers significant questions. What is going on with Jambi Customs??? Why must a media inquiry regarding the enforcement against IDR 14,000 illicit cigarettes rampant in the Jambi market be met with a contact block? This defensive posture is allegedly indicative of coordination gaps or a bottleneck in public information dissemination within the local customs enforcement agency regarding the massive penetration of unstamped cigarettes in Jambi.
Reporter: Harvery.
Editor: bhayaksa.net Team
