Indonesia aims for tighter curbs on import practice known as ‘jastip’

JAKARTA — The practice of Indonesians paying compatriots to buy products for them when traveling abroad has become a lucrative business opportunity, boosted by the popularity of overseas goods promoted on social media.

But officials in the Southeast Asian nation of over 270 million people are seeking to tighten surveillance at ports of entry and further enforce regulations to minimize imports by individuals amid concerns that some fail to report the income or obtain the permits needed for items like foods and medicines.