The truck was stopped by a joint operation consisting of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency, Indonesian Navy, Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Padangbai Port Police and FLIGHT: Protecting Indonesia's Birds.

At least 7,355 birds were found in a truck that was halted at Padangbai Port in Karangasem regency, in eastern Bali on Wednesday.

“The birds were transported from West Nusa Tenggara to Bali without quarantine documents from their place of origin,” Barantin head Sahat M. Panggabean said in a press conference on Jan. 21.

The truck driver told the authorities that the birds were caught in the wild in East Nusa Tenggara and were later transported into Bali through West Nusa Tenggara. The birds were planned to be sold in Bali, other areas in Indonesia and abroad.

The birds are usually priced according to species, from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah.

Personnel from Karangasem Naval Post (Posal) and Padangbai Quarantine Service Unit (Satpel) stopped the truck upon debarking from KMP Dharma Ferry 8 at Padang Bai Port’s Pier 1, the Indonesian Navy said in a separate statement.

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The truck was driven by MH and carrying a passenger, identified as M, who is suspected of being the courier carrying the birds.

The birds were packed according to species, including manyar (weaver birds), Sangihe birds, pipit zebra (Zebra finch), srigunting (drongo), prenjak (prinia), kemade (flowerpecker), madu matari (flame-breasted sunbird), cabai (scarlet-headed flowerpecker), ciblek (bar-winged prinia), gelatik batu (tit), kacamata (white-eyes) and cucak kombo (oriental magpie-robin).

Among those 12 bird species, only white-eyes and Sangihe birds are protected bird species.

Meanwhile, the Navy provided a different list of species, totaling 6,860 birds, consisting of 2,800 female manyar, 680 male manyar, 2,640 manyar jambul (streaked weaver), 240 pleci (white-eyes), 200 konin (purple-throated Sunbird), 40 sogon (garden Sunbird), 200 pipit zebra, 20 srigunting and 40 prenjak gunung (hill prinia).

All the birds were kept in 172 plastic baskets, the Navy said.

The birds were seized because their shipment did not meet quarantine requirements and violated Law No. 21/2019 on Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine.

Sahat emphasized Barantin’s commitment to enforcing the mandate of the law.

“Barantin is fully committed to implementing Law No. 21/2019 on Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine,” he said.

“The custody of bird commodities carried out by our officers in the field is a firm measure to mitigate the risk of the entry and spread of quarantine animal pests and diseases on Bali Island, such as the prevention of avian influenza and several other diseases.”

Sahat added that the joint operation was part of the government’s efforts to prevent the entry and spread of animal pests and diseases that could potentially endanger animal and human health, as well as environmental sustainability.

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Preventing the transmission of diseases, he added, was one of the main missions of the Barantin in safeguarding national food security and preserving Indonesia’s biodiversity. Cross-agency synergy will continue to be strengthened to ensure that the movement of animals complies with the applicable laws and regulations.

“Barantin will thoroughly investigate this violation case to create a deterrent effect for the perpetrators, prevent the emergence of new diseases by blocking the entry and spread of quarantine animal pests and diseases and ensure that Indonesia’s biodiversity remains sustainable,” Sahat emphasized. (nvn)