Indonesian police have seized 3.4 million counterfeit stamp duty seals from a criminal network, according to detikNews. The operation, led by Polda Metro Jaya, uncovered the syndicate operating across five provinces, with potential state losses estimated at Rp 1 trillion.
The arrests and confiscations were announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, based on reporting by detikNews and corroborated by CNN Indonesia and Kompas.com. Authorities have not released the names of suspects or the exact locations of the raids beyond the five-province scope.
The syndicate used a notable method to make the fake stamps look authentic, detikNews reports. Investigators found that the group employed sewing machines to punch the perforation holes typically found on genuine stamp duty seals, a detail that helped the forgeries pass casual inspection.
The counterfeit operation represents a significant threat to state revenue, as stamp duty is a mandatory tax on many legal and commercial documents in Indonesia. The Rp 1 trillion figure cited by police reflects the potential loss if the fake stamps had been circulated and used on official paperwork.
This is not the first time Indonesian authorities have cracked down on document fraud, but the scale of this seizure—millions of units and a trillion-rupiah impact—marks it as one of the larger cases in recent memory. The investigation remains open, and police are likely to pursue other members of the network and trace where the fake stamps were destined for distribution.
Watch for further announcements from Polda Metro Jaya regarding additional arrests and whether the syndicate had links to government offices or notaries.
