Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Is It True That Ahmad Dedi, the ‘AD’ Figure, is “, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
JAKARTA – Pressure on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate corrupt practices within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) is intensifying. The existence of an old network that remains active is considered the root of the problem that has not been fully addressed.
This viewpoint emerged in a national discussion titled 'Testing the KPK's Courage to Dismantle the Customs Mafia' held at the Faculty of Law, Pakuan University, Bogor.
During the forum, legal scholar Dinalara Butar Butar revealed that there is a key figure alleged to have played a major role in corruption practices within customs. This person is believed to be a former customs official with the initials 'AD' who, to this day, is said to still wield significant influence.
According to him, corruption in customs is not an isolated case, but part of an old network that continues to adapt even though the main players have changed positions.
"His influence persists even though he is no longer in office. This is what causes corrupt practices to continue," he said.
Dinalara explained that one of the methods used in this practice was the sale of names or influence. This method was used to increase the value of requests to entrepreneurs by giving the impression of having strong connections with specific parties.
This practice shows that corruption in the customs sector has occurred systematically and involves a structured network. He believes that law enforcement measures that only target field-level actors are not effective enough to completely eradicate this practice.
"If we only focus on catching the actors on the surface, the main source is never touched," he asserted.
Therefore, the KPK is encouraged not to stop at case-by-case prosecutions, but also to dismantle the large network that is the source of corruption practices in customs.
This initiative is considered important so that similar practices do not recur and harm the state in the long term. This demand also aligns with developments in the most recent case, in which the KPK, together with the PPATK (Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center), has begun tracking illicit fund flows related to alleged corruption in the tax sector to uncover a larger network.
Based on research, the person with the initials AD is believed to have been involved in an old customs case between 2016 and 2017. However, his influence is still felt today and is considered an "old cancer" in the customs system.
LHKPN Data of Ahmad Dedi
It all started with the State Officials' Wealth Report (LHKPN) of the customs official with the initials AD, which is believed to refer to Ahmad Dedi, who has become the center of public attention. The data in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) document revealed a number of anomalies, particularly in the valuation of land assets in the Bogor region, West Java.
In the LHKPN document for the 2024 period, AD's total wealth reached approximately IDR 7.65 billion. However, public attention is focused on the details of the land assets, which are considered to be significantly below market price.
The latest information indicates that the Ministry of Finance is currently investigating the alleged ownership of this suspicious account. The investigation is being conducted to determine whether or not there is a violation related to the function and authority of a public official. Confirmation efforts with AD have also been made by a number of parties, including the media.
Source: Read the original article | Published: April 19, 2026