Bust 284 Bird Smuggling, Bali Quarantine Prevents Bird Flu and Wildlife Trade Threats

JAKARTA - The failure of the smuggling of 284 birds without documents by the Bali Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine (Quarantine) is not merely the enforcement of administrative rules.

This action is the first bastion in preventing the spread of animal diseases that have the potential to threaten poultry farms, wildlife conservation, and national food security.

In the midst of high inter-regional animal traffic, any media carrying animals that do not go through quarantine measures has the potential to become a channel for the spread of diseases and illegal wildlife trade. Therefore, surveillance at the entry and exit points of the region is an important part of Indonesia's biosafety system.

The case was revealed when the Bali Quarantine officers at the Gilimanuk Service Unit together with the Gilimanuk Port Conservation Center (BKSDA) and the Gilimanuk Port Police conducted integrated surveillance at Pos 1 Gilimanuk Port, Saturday, August 1.

Officers previously received information about the alleged shipment of birds using a night bus to Central Java. When checking the vehicle's luggage, officers found 284 birds packed in three cardboard boxes and four fruit baskets. The bus crew could not show the Animal Health Certificate or quarantine documents as required by Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.

All birds were then secured to prevent their circulation and avoid the risk of spreading animal diseases to other areas. Wild birds that are traded or transported without going through quarantine measures have the potential to carry diseases such as Avian Influenza (bird flu), Newcastle Disease (tetlo), and various parasites that can infect poultry populations and disrupt the livestock sector.

Head of Bali Quarantine Heri Yuwono said the shipment of animals without quarantine documents was still a challenge that officers at the Bali exit doors continued to face.

"This case of detention of animals without documents is not the first time. The phenomenon of illegal traffic shows that there is still movement of animals that must be continuously suppressed through consistent supervision," said Heri in an electronic message received in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 5.

From January to July 2026, the Bali Quarantine has thwarted five attempts to smuggle birds without quarantine documents. According to Heri, this trend shows that illegal wildlife trade practices are still taking place so that supervision must continue to be strengthened.

"This supervision is important not only to prevent the spread of diseases and pests, but also to maintain the sustainability of animals, protect the economy of the community, and strengthen food security," he said.

Of the 284 birds secured, 136 were lyrebirds, 101 were trogons, 31 were wingko lizards, and 16 were brown-breasted forest cicadas. All the animals were then handed over to the BKSDA to be released in the Karangsewu area, West Bali National Park, Jembrana Regency.

Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency Abdul Kadir Karding emphasized that any attempt to smuggle carrier media without going through quarantine procedures is a real threat to Indonesia's biological security.

"Quarantine is not just checking documents. Our task is to ensure that every carrier media that comes in and out of an area is free of pests and diseases so that it does not harm livestock, agriculture, fisheries, and the Indonesian ecosystem. Therefore, any smuggling attempt must be dealt with firmly as part of national biological security protection," said Karding.

According to Karding, the success in thwarting the illegal traffic of media carriers is part of the state's efforts to protect the public from the economic impact of the spread of animal and plant diseases that can reduce the productivity of the agricultural and livestock sectors.