Quite why anyone would be trying to smuggle something weighing 15 tonnes and worth only some $750 to $1,000--no, not per tonne, in total-- is hard to work out. Until, of course, we hear that Indonesia's government attempts to manage the salt market, that's all that usually is required for a market to have some crazy stuff in it. Indonesian salt usage is up in the millions of tonnes a year, imagine quite how much smuggling would have to go on to supply that in 15 tonne lots. This was done on the basis that salt truly is vital and we should indeed try to get our tax revenues from things with inelastic demand--despite the hatred the salt tax generated. The Indonesian government plans to revise the import tax on salt in a move to help local farmers, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli said on Monday.

Source: Forbes August 26, 2017 11:02 UTC