Kepri Customs Disrupts the Smuggling of 129,965 Lobster Seeds

BATAM - The Riau Islands Special Customs Directorate General of Customs and Excise Office for the second time in 2025 thwarted the smuggling of 129,965 clear lobster seeds that were to be taken to Malaysia.

Head of the DJBC Special Head Office for Riau Islands, Adhang Noegroho Adhi, said his party received information about a fast ferry that was suspected of smuggling lobster clear seeds with a ship-to-ship mode to Indonesian waters.

"Based on this information, the Customs Marine Patrol Task Force monitored and plotted the position of the ferry which was suspected of illegally carrying clear lobster seeds," said Adhang as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 16.

The presence of the ship was monitored when the Maritime Patrol Task Force carried out monitoring around the waters of Blanding Island, Lingga Regency, on Monday (15/12). The ship is moving north or Malaysia.

"Furthermore, the task force immediately carried out a pursuit and warning shots until the captain finally surrendered and the perpetrators fled," he said.

Although the perpetrator fled, the patrol team secured the boat and found a cargo containing 26 boxes of clear lobster seeds with an estimated total value of IDR 12,995,500,000.

Furthermore, the clear lobster seeds that were successfully rescued from the smuggling attempt were handed over to the Batam Marine Resources and Fisheries Surveillance Base (PDSKP) for further cultivation at the Batam Marine Aquaculture Center and released into the sea in the waters of Galang Baru Island.

Adhang explained that smuggling lobster seeds violates Article 102A of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Customs, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 5 billion.

In addition, violating Article 88 in conjunction with Article 16 paragraph (1) and/or Article 92 in conjunction with Article 26 paragraph (1) of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine with a maximum penalty of 6 years in prison and a fine of IDR 3 billion.

He said this action was a tangible proof of the seriousness of Customs in protecting Indonesia's natural resources. During 2025, the Riau Islands Customs Office has thwarted the smuggling of lobster clear seed twice.

The first failure in November 2025 in Bintan, 281,583 pieces of lobster clear seed (BBL) with an estimated value of Rp. 28 billion, were to be smuggled into Malaysia using the HSC ship.

Adhang emphasized that the Riau Islands Regional Office of the Customs and Excise was committed to continuing to improve integrity and synergy in joint supervision with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, especially the Directorate General of Fisheries and Marine Breeding in order to eradicate the smuggling of clear lobster seeds.

"We are also committed to securing state revenues in accordance with the directions of the President of the Republic of Indonesia through Astacita," he said.

In addition to Customs, law enforcement officers in the Riau Islands region have also carried out BBL smuggling prevention throughout 2025.

In February 2025, the Barelang Police thwarted the smuggling of 11,543 lobster eggs that were to be taken to Singapore through the Sekupang International Ferry Port, Batam City.

Then, in May 2025, Batam Customs failed to smuggle 321,990 lobster eggs using airline cargo at Hang Nadim Airport, Batam, to be sent to Vietnam.