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Garuda CEO faces sack for allegedly smuggling Harley

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JAKARTA : Indonesia's State-owned Enterprises Minister said yesterday he will fire and seek the prosecution of the head of the national airline after he was implicated in the smuggling of a Harley Davidson motorcycle into the country on a new jet.

Mr Erick Thohir said that a government investigation found Garuda Indonesia president and chief executive officer Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra was involved in the attempt to import the motorcycle on a new Airbus A330neo being delivered from France without declaring it.

The jet is one of 14 A330neo planes ordered by the airline that will be delivered gradually until 2022.

Mr Danadiputra, his wife and other airline executives were on the Nov 16 flight.

"I am very sad. This has tarnished the image of state-owned enterprises," Mr Thohir said.

"We will not stop here, we will keep seeking other persons involved in this case."

His comments came days after customs officials found the motorcycle and other goods when the flight arrived at Garuda's maintenance facility in Jakarta's airport.

The Harley Shovelhead, along with two high-end Brompton folding bikes, deprived the country of between an estimated half billion rupiah (S$48,500) to 1½ billion rupiah in customs duties for luxury items, said Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. - AP

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