South Sulawesi Police Unload Smuggling 17 Tons Of Sea Bambu

The suspect in the illegal sea bamboo coral trade initials M (two left) was accompanied by investigators from the South Sulawesi Regional Police when he was handed over to the South Sulawesi Prosecutor's team of prosecutors at the South Sulawesi/ANTARA/HO-Documentation of Tipidter Ditreskrimsus Polda Sulsel.

The South Sulawesi Regional Police uncovered the illegal practice of smuggling and trafficking in protected hypopis Isis species or sea bamboo and arrested a perpetrator with the initials M, an accomplice from the mastermind of smuggling a foreign national (WNA) from China with the initials W.

"Evidence has been secured for 17 tons. This item is illegal. For the main actor who financed the initials of Mr. W from China (Chingkok), now has the status of a DPO (wanted list)," said Head of Sub-Directorate III of the South Sulawesi Regional Police, Kompol Jufri, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, October 16.

Disclosure of this case after receiving information about the illegal practice of taking marine bamboo. The goods were stored by suspect M in the Makassar Industrial Estate Warehouse (KIMA) complex, Kurnia Sulawesi, Old Toll Road, Parangloe Village, Tamalanrea District, Makassar.

Previously, the practice of smuggling 10 tons of sea bamboo was successfully sent abroad by the suspect using containers to his buyer from China with the initials W as a sponsor of financing.

From the search, it was found that the facts of the sea bamboo collection were massively carried out by the perpetrators, then traded illegally.

This exploitation is still rampant in Indonesia, because demand from abroad is quite large.

Whereas in its rules, the Government has designated the Isis hypopis or Karang Bambu Laut as a protected marine biota species through the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries number 8/KEPMEN-KP/2020 concerning the Full Protection of Sea Bambu.

The policy is part of the government's efforts to prevent the retrieval, as well as trade and delivery of marine bamboo that is included in rare plants from Indonesian waters.

"The rules are clear, all forms of utilization, taking and selling of sea bamboo are officially prohibited, and they are illegal if done," he stressed.

Suspect M is subject to article 40A paragraph (1) letter e in conjunction with article 21 paragraph (2) letter b of Law number 32 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Law number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems. The threat of imprisonment of 3 years is a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 15 years.

Meanwhile, the case files, evidence and suspects have been submitted to the Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the South Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office with the number BP/38/VIII/2025/Ditreskrimsus for trial.