On 10-20 October 2022, 191,965 IMEI registrations were tracked in the Ministry of Industry’s CEIR system, causing losses to the state of US$23.39 million.
Heaptalk, Jakarta — Criminal Investigation Agency of the National Police (Bareskrim Polri) uncovered cases of illegal International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) registration on the Centralized Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) application which was carried out in the period October 10-20, 2022. CEIR is a database that stores IMEI numbers for cell phones circulating in Indonesia.
Within those ten days, 191,965 IMEIs were uploaded to the Ministry of Industry’s CEIR system. Bareskrim Polri named six suspects, consisting of four people from the private sector, one person in the state civil apparatus at the Ministry of Industry, and one person in the state civil apparatus at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise Ministry of Finance.
The disclosure of this case began with a complaint by the Directorate General of Metal, Machinery, Transportation Equipment, and Electronics (Ditjen ILMATE) of the Ministry of Industry regarding an attempt to enter data illegally on February 14, 2023. According to the Head of Bareskrim Polri, Komjen Pol. Wahyu, this action caused state losses allegedly around Rp353.75 billion, approximately US$23.39 million (US$1 equals Rp15,124) with an income tax calculation of 11.5%.
Responding to this, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita welcomed the measure taken by Bareskrim Polri. He said, “We have been aware of and since about a year ago have ordered to dismantle these practices. At this time, we are pleased as we have indeed given direction regarding this matter.”
IMEI registration management requires improvement
Agus admitted that his party took the initiative to dismantle the practice of illegal access to CEIR. “When the Government launched the IMEI registration program, certainly it was also accompanied by efforts to reduce illegal cell phones entering Indonesia. Thus, imported cell phones entering Indonesia are legal and subject to tax. This effort also encourages the growth of the domestic cell phone industry,” Agus said in his official statement.
However, there are several aspects of managing IMEI registration that need to be improved, as it allows loopholes for irregularities, one of which is illegal IMEI registration. Therefore, Minister Agus has assigned the Director General of ILMATE to uncover these illegal practices.
In addition, he asked the police to conduct an investigation into this matter thoroughly and fairly, including parties outside the Ministry of Industry who have access to CEIR. Apart from the Ministry of Industry, there are three other parties that can access the CEIR, namely the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Finance, and cell phone operators.
