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View all search resultsBatam authorities arrest 25 over alleged illegal import of used clothes
As demand persists, used clothing continues to enter the country through illegal channels, driven by weak oversight and a lack of clear sanctions for violators.
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Visitors select secondhand clothes on Saturday at the Pasar Raia (Raia Market) garage sale in Taman Suropati, Central Jakarta. The event is aimed at promoting sustainable fashion to the public.
(Sausan Atika/Sausan Atika)
B
atam Island authorities in the Riau Islands have arrested 25 people for allegedly importing secondhand clothes illegally, as the government intensifies its crackdown on the booming thrifting business.
The Barelang Police, which oversee Batam Island, said the suspects were arrested during a raid on Saturday at a storage unit in Tanjung Uncang, Batam City.
“We conducted the raid after receiving tips from the public about suspected unloading of imported used goods without official documents. When officers arrived, they found workers moving large bundles of secondhand clothes into the warehouse,” Barelang Police Chief Sr. Comr. Zaenal Arifin said over the weekend.
Zaenal said officers discovered two containers filled with large sacks of used clothes, as well as three trucks prepared to distribute the items to local markets. He added that the 25 suspects arrested were truck drivers and laborers working at the facility.
Read also: Thrift sellers, shoppers lament planned crackdown on secondhand imports
Zaenal emphasized that the operation reflects the police’s commitment to enforcing the law and curbing the circulation of illegally imported goods that could disrupt the local economy.
“The Barelang Police will take firm action against any legal violations, especially those that could cause financial losses to the state,” Zaenal said.
