Indonesia to fire Garuda CEO over Harley-Davidson smuggling accusation
- Ari Askhara is accused of bringing the classic Harley Shovelhead and two Brompton folding bikes on a brand new Airbus jet from Toulouse
- Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the crime deprived the state of between US$37,900-US$107,000 in taxes
I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra will be dismissed after the airline’s audit committee found he had ordered the purchase of the classic Harley Shovelhead, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir said. The Garuda CEO, who is also known as Ari Askhara, gave instructions to find the motorcycle and the purchase was made in April through a transfer via a personal account of Garuda’s finance manager in Amsterdam, Thohir said.
His comments come days after customs officials found the motorcycle worth 800 million rupiah (US$57,000) and two high-end Brompton folding bikes in the cargo hold of a new Airbus A330neo being delivered from France. The jet is one of 14 A330neo planes ordered by the airline that will be delivered gradually until 2022.
The smuggling of the goods deprived the state of between 532 million and 1.5 billion rupiah (US$37,900-107,000), Indrawati said.
Askhara, his wife and other airline executives were on the flight on November 16, according to the manifest.