Gold: Indonesia's Most Smuggled Commodity

The Indonesian Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) findings show that the aggregate value of smuggling transactions in Indonesia reached Rp216.74 trillion from 2021 to the third quarter of 2024.

The largest value, based on commodity, originated from gold, with a total smuggling transaction value of Rp189.27 trillion. This represents 87.55% of the total smuggling transactions.

Significantly lower was textiles, reaching Rp16.51 trillion (7.64%). Nickel followed with transactions totaling Rp3.5 trillion (1.62%).

Plants or wildlife also appeared on the list, with transactions valued at Rp2.38 trillion (1.1%).

Smuggling through labor was next, at Rp1.18 trillion (0.55%), followed by forest products at Rp1.1 trillion (0.51%).

Outside the top six, smuggling values were below Rp1 trillion. These included vehicles, fuel, and cigarettes.

PPATK stated that commodities with significant turnover in smuggling activities include gold, textiles, and nickel.

"This is due to high economic profit and demand, significantly impacting domestic industries and state revenue," wrote PPATK in a report cited on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).

However, the latest PPATK analysis from Q4 2024 to January 2025 indicates significant smuggling of lobster seeds (BBL) to Vietnam, with a total turnover of Rp2.65 trillion. The total value of transactions indicating criminal activity amounted to Rp46.53 billion.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the value of smuggling transactions by commodity or individual analyzed by PPATK from 2021 to Q3 2024:

* Gold: Rp189,273,872,395,172
* Textiles: Rp16,518,942,037,111
* Nickel: Rp3,509,287,303,892
* Plants/wildlife: Rp2,386,011,369,099
* Labor/migrants: Rp1,185,633,748,358
* Forest products: Rp1,105,058,588,935
* Vehicles: Rp729,527,884,481
* Fuel: Rp683,506,999,815
* Illegal drugs: Rp561,851,269,590
* Cigarettes: Rp241,363,974,620
* **Total:** Rp216,195,055,571,073

(See also: Report on Suspicious Financial Transactions Increased by 4.65% in 2024)