In response to the alleged extortion performed by its employees against a Taiwanese tourist at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, the Indonesian Directorate General of Customs took action. The issue was revealed in a video broadcast by Taiwanese news outlets that went viral on social media.
According to Hatta Wardhana, head of the Customs Public Relations and Counselling Subdirectorate, “We, Customs and Excise DG, have investigated the information on a Taiwanese tourist who was asked to pay a certain amount of money for taking photos in a restricted area of the airport.”
In its response, the Customs and Excise DG refuted the extortion claim. Hatta clarified that his team had located the PTT online forum as the news’s source by visiting the following link.
According to the facts available, the incident did not take place in the Customs area, he claimed.
Hatta said that Ludai (the Taiwanese tourist)’s account (NeverEnough) recounted his experience of snapping photographs in a forbidden airport location. He was then taken to a dimly lit room for interrogation by a customs official. He was informed that he would be deported to his home country.
According to Hatta, the Taiwanese tourist claimed to have had his passport returned and continued his journey after agreed to the officer’s request not to divulge the reduced fine he had charged. As a result, the officer requested him to record his fingerprints before stamping his travel document. Hatta said it is outside its purview to record passport stamps and fingerprints.
As a result of this revelation, Hatta explained, “We feel that this occurrence did not take place at the Customs since we do not have the power to register fingerprints and stamps on passports.”
Hatta pointed out that the Transportation Minister’s Regulation Number PM 80/2017 governs taking pictures in a restricted airport area and is obviously outside the purview of the Customs and Excise DG. Furthermore, he explained that the Customs DG does not have the jurisdiction to carry out repatriation.
Hatta underlined that the Customs and Excise DG would continue to work with all stakeholders to determine the truth about the issue. Customs DG made additional attempts to get in touch with the Taiwanese tourist.
Hatta continued, “We are working with the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) in Taipei.”
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