Illegal Used Clothing Threatens National Textile Industry, Surveillance Tightened
JAKARTA, Headline24.id – Illegal used clothing threatens the national textile industry and has the potential to cause various negative impacts, ranging from disruptions to the domestic market to public health risks. The government has reiterated the ban on importing used clothing after uncovering two major cases of illegal ballpress circulation in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, and West Kalimantan.
These enforcement actions are part of the government's efforts to strengthen supervision of illegal imported goods, which are deemed detrimental to domestic industries and disrupt a healthy business climate.
Illegal Used Clothing Threatens the National Textile Industry
Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, emphasized that used clothing is a prohibited commodity in Indonesia. Therefore, any import or distribution activities of illegal used clothing will be a serious concern for the government.
“The circulation of ballpress risks becoming a medium for disease transmission, both from viruses and bacteria attached to used clothing. On the other hand, this practice can also disrupt the sustainability of the national textile industry and reduce the market share of domestically produced clothing products,” said Purbaya on Tuesday (23/6/2026).
According to him, enforcement against the circulation of ballpress is not only related to customs violations but also a form of protection for the national textile industry, which has been facing stiff competition in the domestic market.
The ban on importing used clothing is regulated in Ministerial Regulation of Trade Number 47 of 2025, which explicitly prohibits the entry of such commodities into Indonesian territory.
Government Highlights Economic and Health Impacts
Besides potentially reducing the market share of local products, the government considers that illegal imported used clothing can cause broader impacts.
The circulation of these goods is considered to suppress the growth of the national textile and garment industry, which employs millions of workers. On the other hand, the presence of imported used clothing is also feared to create a negative perception that Indonesia is a destination market for used goods from abroad.
The government also highlights the health risks that may arise from the use of used clothing whose usage history and storage processes are unknown.
Therefore, illegal used clothing threatens the national textile industry and is also a concern in terms of consumer protection and public health.
Customs Uncovers Thousands of Bales of Used Clothing
This statement was made after the Directorate General of Customs and Excise successfully uncovered two major cases of illegal imported used clothing circulation in the past week.
At Tanjung Priok Port, officers discovered alleged shipments of ballpress via KM Eden Mas, which serves the Pontianak–Tanjung Priok route.
Out of a total of 268 containers transported by the ship, officers scanned 46 containers and found 43 containers suspected of containing illegal imported used clothing.
As of June 22, 2026, examination of 19 containers successfully found 2,067 bales of used clothing, clothing accessories, and used bags.
Meanwhile, the total cargo in the 43 containers is estimated to reach 4,687 bales with an economic value of approximately Rp37.5 billion.
Enforcement Extends to West Kalimantan
In addition to Tanjung Priok, a joint team also conducted case development at two warehouse locations in Kubu Raya Regency and Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan.
The operation, which took place from June 19 to 21, 2026, successfully seized 2,060 bales of illegal used clothing with a value of around Rp16.48 billion.
Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budhi Utama, stated that supervision of illegal imported goods will continue to be strengthened through more active and measured steps.
The government ensures that it will tighten supervision at goods entry points and domestic distribution channels to curb the circulation of ballpress, which is deemed detrimental to compliant businesses.
With these various measures, the government hopes that illegal used clothing threatening the national textile industry can be suppressed through stricter supervision while creating a healthy business climate for the domestic textile and garment industry.
