AGO raids offices and residences of Customs officials, seizes palm oil export documents
28/10/2025 (Indonesian Business Post) - The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has conducted searches at more than five locations in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the Ministry of Finance.
The raids were carried out on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, targeting both official offices and private residences of customs officials.
AGO spokesman Anang Supriatna confirmed that investigators seized a number of documents believed to be related to palm oil mill effluent (POME) exports in 2022, a byproduct of crude palm oil processing.
“Yes, the searches were related to the case at Customs. There were more than five locations, including Customs offices and officials’ homes some in Jakarta and some outside the city,” Anang said on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
He declined to specify which officials’ homes were searched, citing the ongoing strategic phase of the investigation. “Some details remain confidential, not because we don’t want transparency, but to protect the investigators’ strategy. If everything is disclosed, the next steps could be compromised,” he added.
Palm oil export irregularities
The AGO’s anti-corruption unit is reportedly investigating irregularities in the export licensing and customs clearance of POME shipments in 2022. While typically classified as industrial waste, POME can be refined into biodiesel, a sector where export regulations are tightly controlled.
The AGO has yet to provide an estimate of the potential financial losses to the state, but sources suggest the figure could reach hundreds of billions of rupiah, depending on the scale of irregular POME exports uncovered.
Documents seized during the raids are expected to shed light on possible abuse of export permits, undervaluation, or illicit trade practices involving customs officials and private companies.
Witnesses questioned
According to Anang, investigators have questioned over 10 witnesses in the case so far. However, he emphasized that no suspects have been named yet.
“The examination of witnesses has been conducted, and the raids are part of legal enforcement measures. Once searches are carried out, it’s certain that witness examinations have taken place,” he said.
In response to the probe, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said that his ministry would not shield any Customs and Excise officials found guilty of wrongdoing.
He acknowledged ongoing coordination with the AGO and affirmed the ministry’s stance on law enforcement.
“We do have a working arrangement with the AGO. They once asked if Customs officials would be protected if they did wrong. I said no,” Purbaya told reporters at the Finance Ministry office on October 23, 2025.
“If someone is at fault, they’re simply at fault. This investigation might be part of that collaboration. I don’t know the details, but the principle is clear there’s no protection,” he said.