Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Ministry of Industry is preparing new regulations to curb the rising circulation of illegal cigarettes, Deputy Minister of Industry Faisol Riza confirmed on Monday (29/9/2025).

“There are plans to draft new rules, and the concept is being finalized. The aim is to strengthen control over illegal cigarettes,” he said, as reported by antaranews.com.

According to the Ministry data, the illegal cigarette market share rose from 3.03 percent in 2019 to 6.9 percent in 2023, with the highest violations involving plain packaging without excise stamps, particularly in machine-made kretek cigarettes.

Riza warned that illicit trade undermines the legal tobacco industry, reducing production capacity, leaving rolling machines idle, and forcing labor cuts that hurt workers’ welfare. He stressed that price-sensitive Indonesian consumers are driving demand for cheaper, untaxed products.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)