BCW Coordinator Jimmy Endey.

progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – Customs Watch (BCW) has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the party responsible for removing the KPK seal from the entrance to the office of the Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budhi Utama. The existence of the seal and its subsequent removal came to light during a hearing regarding an alleged corruption case within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise.

BCW Coordinator Jimmy Endey stated that the removal of the seal cannot be dismissed as a mere administrative matter. This is because, according to the KPK, the sealing was carried out due to investigators’ suspicions that evidence relevant to the case handling was present at the location.

“If the KPK team never removed the seal, the question is simple: who took it off?” said Jimmy at the BCW Secretariat, Jalan Saharjo 123, South Jakarta, on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

According to Jimmy, the KPK should be able to trace the party who removed the seal by examining surveillance camera footage, room access logs, and security personnel statements, as well as by questioning individuals who were present at the location from the time the seal was affixed until it was discovered missing.

“The Customs building is not an unsupervised area. Check the CCTV, examine who had access, who entered, and who knew about the removal of the seal,” Jimmy said.

KPK Seal Found Missing

The issue regarding the seal surfaced during a court hearing on an alleged corruption case within the Customs agency on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

KPK prosecutors presented documentation of the sealing process to the former Secretary of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Ayu Sukorini. The hearing revealed that a KPK team had previously placed a KPK line (official seal) across the entrance to the Customs Director General’s office. However, when officers returned to the site, the seal was no longer in place. The KPK team stated that they had never removed it.

The KPK subsequently confirmed that it had indeed sealed the room. KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that the sealing was carried out as part of a sting operation concerning alleged corruption within the Customs and Excise agency. According to him, there was suspected evidence—or material evidence—at the location that investigators required.

Jimmy stated, that this explanation actually makes investigating the removal of the seal even more crucial.

“If a room is sealed due to suspected evidence, and the seal subsequently goes missing without the KPK having removed it, the issue is no longer merely about who took down that tape,” he said.

Jimmy noted, that BCW is urging the KPK to verify whether anyone entered the room after the seal was removed. Investigators also need to confirm whether any documents, electronic devices, or other items inside the room remain in their original condition.

BCW: Ensure Nothing Else Goes Missing Besides the Seal

According to Jimmy, the disappearance of the seal should not be used as grounds to accuse Djaka Budhi Utama—or any specific official—of being the one who removed it.

He argued that the KPK must instead identify the perpetrator based on evidence.

“We are not saying the Director General of Customs and Excise removed the seal. Let’s not make accusations without proof. However, precisely because the perpetrator is unknown, the KPK must investigate the matter thoroughly until the truth comes to light,” Jimmy said.

BCW also requested, that the KPK clarify whether the Director General of Customs and Excise’s office was ultimately searched after it was discovered that the seal had been removed.

So far, the KPK has not provided detailed information regarding who removed the seal. The agency has stated that search operations are conducted in accordance with investigative needs.

Jimmy acknowledged, that the KPK need not disclose confidential investigative details. However, he maintained that the agency should explain the follow-up actions taken regarding the seal’s removal, given that the issue has surfaced during court proceedings.

“Was the CCTV footage examined? Have individuals with access been questioned? Was the room eventually searched? And most importantly, is all the evidence sought by the KPK still intact?” he asked.

KPK Urged to Uphold the Integrity of the Investigation

Jimmy stated, that investigating the removal of the KPK line (official seal) also concerns the credibility of the anti-corruption agency.

He noted, that the public might question the effectiveness of site security if a seal placed by investigators could be removed by another party without the perpetrator being immediately identified.

“The KPK line is not decorative tape. It signifies that the location is being secured for law enforcement purposes,” Jimmy said.

BCW also urged the KPK to investigate the matter regardless of the positions or status of any parties found to be involved.

Jimmy stated, that the investigation into this specific incident must be kept separate from speculation regarding who bears responsibility for the underlying alleged customs corruption case. He emphasized that the inquiry into the removal of the seal must be grounded in facts and evidence.

“Our request is simple: identify who removed the seal, who issued the order—if such an order existed—and who entered the premises after the seal was broken; furthermore, ensure that no evidence has been altered or lost,” Jimmy said.

He added, that the KPK must not leave these questions unresolved after the facts surrounding the seal’s removal have come to light in court.

“We must ensure that it isn’t just the seal that ends up missing,” he asserted. (Bembo)