Indonesia Loses $6.1 Billion from Soaring Illicit Cigarette Smokers Jakarta. Indonesia loses Rp 97 trillion or approximately $6.1 billion annually from illicit cigarette consumption as smokers look for cheaper alternatives, far surpassing the government estimates, according to research body Indodata. More and more Indonesians are switching to illicit cigarettes as tobacco products become more expensive as the government keeps increasing its excise tariffs. Over the past years, Indodata has been doing surveys on illicit cigarette consumption, and the potential state loss that emerged from this untaxed commodity. In the 2021 Indodata survey, about 28 percent of the respondents admitted to smok... [Read more]