# Indonesia to tighten used shoe import controls after Reuters report
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-03-06
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Indonesia Tightens Customs Checks to Stop Illegal Import of
Meta Description: Indonesia's Ministry of Industry responds to a Reuters report on illegal import of second-hand shoes, increasing port checks to stop organised misuse of
URL: https://financedigest.com/indonesia-to-tighten-used-shoe-import-controls-after-reuters-reporthtml

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JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia will tighten customs checks at small ports to crack down on the illegal import of second-hand shoes, the industry ministry said on Monday, responding to a Reuters report that found footwear donated to a recycling scheme in Singapore was shipped to Indonesia.

A six-month Reuters investigation published on Feb. 25 found that ten pairs of shoes the news agency donated to a recycling scheme run by U.S. petrochemicals giant Dow and the Singapore government were [exported for resale in Indonesia](https://www.financedigest.com/indonesias-palm-oil-export-ban-seen-short-lived-on-limited-storage.html "Indonesia’s palm oil export ban seen short-lived on limited storage").

Reuters reporters, using location trackers hidden inside the soles of shoes, recovered sneakers it donated in [Singapore at second-hand goods markets](https://www.financedigest.com/standard-chartered-rolls-out-digital-bank-in-hot-singapore-market.html "Standard Chartered rolls out digital bank in hot Singapore market") in the Indonesian capital Jakarta and on Batam, an island 12 miles (19 km) south of Singapore.

In 2015, Indonesia banned the import of second-hand clothing and footwear over concerns about hygiene, as well as to protect the local [textile industry](https://www.financedigest.com/packaging-and-textile-industries-key-driver-for-digital-printer-market-demand-2021.html "Packaging And Textile Industries : Key Driver For Digital Printer Market Demand 2021").

In a statement titled “dismantling the scandal of illegal imports of used shoes”, Indonesia’s Ministry of [Industry said that as a result of the Reuters story it would increase checks at ports to intercept any illegal second-hand shoe](https://www.financedigest.com/badminton-shoes-market-industry-insights-trends-and-forecast-up-to-2031.html "Badminton Shoes Market: Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2031") shipments.

This incident shows that the illegal import of used shoes is carried out in an organised manner and misuses [social projects,” Industry](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-social-responsibility-within-the-festival-industry.html "Corporate Social Responsibility Within The Festival Industry") Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita was quoted as saying in the statement.

The practice of illegal importation of used shoes [must be stopped because it has a bad impact on the domestic footwear industry.”](https://www.financedigest.com/why-the-industry-must-simplify-cybersecurity.html "WHY THE INDUSTRY MUST SIMPLIFY CYBERSECURITY")

The ministry is also proposing new incentives for local footwear manufacturers [importing raw materials for their businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/four-reasons-whycloud-based-inventory-management-is-important-for-your-ecommerce-business.html "Four reasons whycloud-based inventory management is important for your ecommerce business"), and imposing tighter regulations on businesses importing textiles, the statement said.

In July 2021, Dow and Sport Singapore, a government agency, [launched a programme](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-to-launch-new-billion-pound-home-insulation-programme.html "UK to launch new billion-pound home insulation programme") to grind down old shoes with rubberised soles into granules to be used to make new jogging tracks and playgrounds. The public donated tens of thousands of shoes to the scheme.

On Feb. 27, two days after the Reuters story was published, Dow and Sport Singapore [issued a statement apologising to the public for a “lapse” in its supply](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-j-d-wetherspoon-returns-to-profit-as-supply-issues-ease.html "UK’s J D Wetherspoon returns to profit as supply issues ease") chain which had led to some shoes meant for recycling being shipped to Indonesia.

(This story has been refiled to fix a typo in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)


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