Export Of Illegal Lobster Seeds To Singapore Thwarted By Customs Officers

TANGERANG - Customs and Excise Type Customs (KPUBBC TMP) C Soekarno-Hatta (Soetta), Tangerang thwarted an attempt to smuggle 34,222 lobster clear seeds (BBL) into Singapore. Head of Soetta Customs Office, Gatot Sugeng Wibowo said the lobster seeds to be exported were valued at IDR 5.3 billion.

"The smuggling of lobster clear seeds worth 5.3 billion rupiah, which will be exported illegally through passenger luggage," Gatot told reporters, Wednesday, August 2.

Gatot explained, starting from information about the delivery of baby lobsters through Soetta International Airport, Tangerang City, last Friday, July 28.

On that basis, his party followed up with BBKIPM Jakarta I by analyzing data related to passenger departures abroad.

From the joint team's search, Customs and Excise suspected a man with the initials DP (25) from North Sumatra who would travel to Singapore via the CGK-SIN flight route with Singapore Airlines (SQ-951) on July 28, 05.25 WIB.

"The plan is that the DP will depart on July 28, 2023 at 05.25 WIB with passenger luggage abroad as a mode of smuggling the export ban," he said.

On that basis, his party conducted an examination of the DP by checking in and dropping baggage at Terminal 3 Soekarno-Hatta Airport International Departure. Then the luggage was checked X-Ray.

The officer saw that there were irregularities in the suspect's luggage, which allegedly contained clear lobster seeds in his suitcase.

"Officers immediately took action and examined the luggage of the DP baggage in front of him, witnessed by Aviation Security and the ground handling party, namely PT JAS," he said.

Furthermore, from the results of the inspection, the congenital goods were able to store 36 packs containing 34,222 lobster seeds with details of 6 packs containing 4,222 clear lobster seeds of pearl type and 30 packs containing 30,000 clear sand lobster seeds.

The suspect was secured to the Soekarno-Hatta Customs Office for further investigation to find other perpetrators.

"The suspect admitted that the lobster seeds were obtained from a person with the initials M who ordered him to take him to Singapore with the lure of a reward of Rp. 10 million," he said.

For his actions, DP was applied as a suspect and charged with Article 102A of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Amendments to Law Number 10 of 1995 concerning Customs with a maximum penalty of 10 years and a maximum fine of 5 billion Rupiah.

Furthermore, evidence has been released on Carita Beach, Pandeglang as an early rescue of the lobster seeds.