Police have arrested two used clothing importers accused of running an illegal thrifting operation in Bali for several years. The suspects, identified as Samsul Bahri (SB) and Zulkifli Tanjung (ZT), are alleged to have imported used clothing from South Korea without permits between 2021 and 2025.
The Directorate of Economic and Special Crimes (Dittipideksus) of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) uncovered the operation in Tabanan Regency, Bali Province. Officers confiscated 846 bales of used clothing, valued at an estimated IDR 3.588 billion.
The Director of Special Economic Crimes at Bareskrim Polri, Senior Commissioner Ade Safri Simanjuntak, said the two suspects were part of an international network.
“The total illegal import transactions conducted by the two suspects, ZT and SB, from 2021 to 2025 reached IDR 669 billion,” Ade Safri said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
He added that a significant portion of the funds had been transferred abroad. “Of these transactions, IDR 367 billion was sent overseas and to South Korea,” he said.
Investigators stated that the used clothing was ordered through two South Korean nationals identified as KDS and KIM.
After payments were made, the goods were shipped by sea from South Korea to Malaysia. The clothing then entered Indonesia through unofficial ports before being transported to a warehouse in Tabanan.
From there, the suspects distributed the used clothing to traders in several cities. Police said the goods were sold to buyers in Bali, Surabaya in East Java, and Bandung in West Java.
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Bus Company Linked to Money Laundering in Bali Thrifting Case
Investigators also uncovered an alleged money laundering scheme linked to the illegal thrift operation. Two senior officials of PT KYM Trans, a bus transportation company operating in Bali, were found to have disguised profits from the used clothing trade as income from legitimate businesses.
Ade Safri explained that payments to overseas suppliers were deliberately structured to avoid detection.
“To cover his tracks, the suspect used personal accounts, accounts in other people’s names, and remittance services to process payments to suppliers abroad,” Ade Safri said.
Police said the money was transferred to suppliers identified as KDS or KIM in South Korea. Once the funds were received, the used clothing was shipped to a Malaysian port.
The goods were then transported overland through Pekanbaru, Riau, before being sent to the warehouse in Tabanan.
According to investigators, profits from the illegal clothing imports were used to expand the suspect’s bus transportation business and clothing retail operations. The funds were allegedly presented as revenue from lawful activities.
The Directorate of Economic and Special Crimes confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. Police are examining financial records, transaction trails, and possible links to other parties involved in the import and distribution process.
