Steps Taken To Prevent Textile Smuggling

Textile importers of Indonesia are feeling happy as the government will help to verify imports in the respective countries of origin prior to shipment in order to stop smuggling of textile and textile products said Rini MS Soewandi Industry and Trade Minister.

"The obligation will be imposed to prevent smuggling," Director General for Foreign Trade Affairs Sudar SA told newsmen.The obligation is contained in a ministerial decree on verification of imported textile and textile products signed on April 9, 2003.
According to Sudar, the verification or technical checking was to be done in the respective countries of origin by government surveyors.

He said importing companies also remain subject to a ministerial decree on special importer identity numbers."The surveyors will conduct verification among others on data or information about the countries producing the products (product specifications) including on system harmonization numbers, product description, material composition and time of shipment," he said.

After completing the technical checking process, the surveyors would seal the packages.Sudar said it was the Industry and Trade Minister who would appoint the surveyors to verify imported textile and textile products while the importers would bear the verification costs.

The appointed surveyors must be experienced in the corresponding field for at least five years and have representative offices abroad.

"The fact that the imported textile and textile products have been verified by surveyors in the respective countries of origin does will not lessen the authority of Indonesian customs to inspect the goods upon arrival in Indonesia," he said, adding that the appointed surveyors would also be required to make written reports on their verification activities once a month.