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NTB Police foils attempts to smuggle Rp 396m worth of lobster seeds
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Illegal trade: Personnel of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police display on Wednesday bags containing lobster seeds confiscated from smugglers in an operation in Central Lombok, NTB, on Tuesday. (Courtesy of the NTB Police/File)
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ersonnel of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police have arrested seven people suspected to have attempted to smuggle 7,992 lobster seeds worth of Rp 396 million (US$27,720) from Central Lombok to Bali.
NTB Police spokesperson Adj.Sr.Comr. Tribudi Pangastuti said the smuggling attempts were thwarted on Tuesday in two different locations.
“The NTB Police confiscated 1,900 lobster seeds in the first location and 6,022 seeds were seized in the second location. We collected a total of 7,922 seeds,” Tribudi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He said the first smuggling attempt was uncovered at 4:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday on Jl. Bypass, Lombok International Airport. The NTB Police personnel arrested four suspects driving an Ertiga carrying 1,900 lobster seeds in 19 plastic bags.
The police later arrested three suspects on Jl. TGH Faisal, Sandubuya district, Mataram, at 7 p.m. The suspects were traveling in a Datsun Go Panca, carrying 6,022 lobster seeds in 32 plastic bags.
“We suspected the lobster seeds would be smuggled to Bali using a shipping service. We are currently questioning the seven suspects,” Tribudi said.
The NTB Quarantine Agency will release the lobster seeds to their natural habitat. The suspects were charged with violating Law No. 45/2009 on fisheries and Law No. 16/1992 on animal, fish and plant quarantine, which carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a Rp 1.5 billion fine. (ami/ebf)
