viation Security (Avsec) officers at Soekarno Hatta International Airport on Saturday foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 30,000 ornate rock lobster seeds.
“Our security personnel found as many as 32,820 lobster seeds in a suitcase when it was checked through an X-ray machine," said Angkasa Pura II general manager M Suriawan Wakan in a written statement.
Two passengers, identified as DA and PA, reportedly packed the lobster seeds in plastic bags and put them in the suitcase. They both departed to Batam from Adi Sucipto Airport, Yogyakarta, on national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia flight number GA 210.
“The passengers were arrested when they were about to check in for a connecting flight to Batam at Soekarno Hatta Airport," Suriawan said.
It is estimated the lobster seeds were worth Rp 6.4 billion (US$473,408).
The passengers and the evidence were handed over to the Soekarno Hatta Customs Service and Fish Quarantine office for a follow up investigation before being taken to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department.
Several lobster seed smuggling attempts have been foiled throughout the year, including an attempt to smuggle 208,756 lobster seeds inside eight suitcases to Singapore in June, amounting to potential states loses of Rp 31.3 billion.
In July, an attempt to smuggle 13,600 lobster seeds, packed in 68 plastic bags and hidden inside a suitcase, from Batam was foiled at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. (dis/ebf)
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