The Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, through Soekarno-Hatta Customs, has apprehended several Chinese nationals attempting to smuggle gold out of the country by concealing it in their genitals and rectums.
The incident came to light on Tuesday, the 11th of August. The Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budi Utama, explained that the operation was initiated after the suspected transport of gold by a Chinese national in carry-on luggage was detected as the passenger was passing through the checkpoint at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. While further investigations were underway, the Aviation Security (Avsec) and the Customs officers identified another suspicious passenger based on body scanner anomalies.
In total, officers detained seven passengers and seized 41 pieces of gold weighing a combined 23.7 kilograms, with an estimated market value of Rp63 billion. Testing with an XRF mineral detector confirmed that all the seized gold was 99.99% pure (24-karat). The inspections revealed gold shaped like eggs concealed via insertion into the genital and anal areas, as well as gold hidden inside modified underwear.
Bea Cukai Soekarno-Hatta bersama Avsec Bandara Internasional Soekarno-Hatta menggagalkan dua upaya penyelundupan emas ke luar negeri dalam waktu kurang dari 24 jam. Dari dua rangkaian penindakan pada 11 Agustus 2026 di Terminal 3, petugas menyita total 23,793 kilogram emas murni… pic.twitter.com/akOGcJgOvk
— METRO TV (@Metro_TV) August 13, 2026
“Action was carried out against seven foreign passengers [Chinese nationals] bound for Hong Kong,” said Utama at a press conference on Gold Export Smuggling Action at the Soekarno-Hatta Type C Customs and Excise KPU, Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday, the 13th of August.
Based on the results of the case, the seven passengers have fulfilled the elements of the crime of smuggling in the export sector as intended in Article 102A letter a of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 concerning Customs.
Additionally, on the same day, officers successfully thwarted a gold smuggling attempt that exploited an individual suspected of being an airline ground handling staff member. Avsec officers at the Terminal 3 International Arrivals area spotted a person—suspected to be ground handling staff—carrying a bag in the loading dock area. Upon being followed, the individual handed the bag over to a passenger bound for Dubai.
An inspection revealed gold bars of varying purities concealed within a backpack and a cabin suitcase.
Utama reminded prospective passengers not to smuggle gold out of the country, noting that regulations providing additional incentives for gold exports from Indonesia are currently in place—rules that have been effective since December 2025.
“Taking gold out of the country is not prohibited, but there are regulations that the person transporting it must comply with. The [Indonesian] government has also officially tightened oversight of gold exports through the latest trade and fiscal policies, under which gold exports are subject to export duties,” he concluded.