Illegally imported plants, meat destroyed at airport

Officers from a quarantine center at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport are destroying various plants and meat imported from overseas and not accompanied by the proper documents.

“The officers seized the plants and meat sent in cargo deliveries between February and April,” Musyaffak Fauzi, head of the airport’s quarantine center, told journalists on Thursday.

The destroyed plants include 4,123 sachets of vegetable and flower seeds from Taiwan, 20 kilograms of hybrid rice seeds from China, 2,350 red chilis from Vietnam and 20 kilograms of fruit.

Officers also destroyed 1,434 kilograms of premium meats imported from Australia, China and the US worth Rp 2.2 billion.

“We destroyed all the goods because they may hold organisms that can harm plants in the country,” Musyaffak said.

The center is also quarantining a number of protected species comprising 36 birds, 47 reptiles, nine pig-mouthed turtles and eight lemurs. Other collections include animal parts such as six sheets of Sumatran tiger skins, an orangutan skull, a hornbill skull, a deer horn and 54 turtle skulls, which have been seized since February by the airport's customs and excise office.

Herman Khoiron, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV who was present during the goods destruction, said there should be good coordination among related institutions in upholding the law on quarantine.

“We have to admit that officers at the quarantine center are still not assertive enough in taking necessary action against the illegal trafficking of plants and animals to and from overseas at the airport,” he said, adding that the number of personnel in charge at the center must also be increased.