Batam Customs And Excise Seized 42,500 Lobster Seeds Smuggled Abroad Via Batam

WHILE. ANTARA

BATAM - Batam Customs and Excise officials confiscated 42,500 lobster seeds from three passengers of KM Kelud Pelni, who were trying to smuggle from Jakarta to foreign countries via Batam City, Riau Islands.

"Based on public information, there was an effort to illegally export lobster seeds through Batam to Vietnam's final destination, by three KM Kelud passengers from Jakarta, departing through Tanjung Priok Port on Friday, December 4, 2020," said the Head of the Batam Customs and Excise Main Service Office, Susila Brata, quoted by Antara, Sunday, December 6.

Based on this information, his party coordinated with the Fish Quarantine Agency for Quality Control and Safety of Fishery Products, BKIPM Batam to conduct inspection of ships and passengers, when KM Kelud arrived at Batu Ampar Port on Sunday morning at around 08.30 WIB.

During the investigation, the officers found three sacks containing clothes mixed with plastic lobster seeds containing 41,500 sand type lobster seeds and 1,000 pearl lobster seeds.

"So that the total lobster seeds that were successfully secured by the Batam Customs were 42,500, and evidence was secured at the Batam BKIPM Office for further processing," said Susila.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Head of Pelni Batam Branch, Agus Suprijatno said that his party together with the captain of KM Kelud, the ship's crew, the head of the local KSOP and the authorities combed the entire ship's room to ensure the illegal lobster seed carriers.

"The sweeping was carried out by not allowing all passengers to disembark when the Kelud KM docked at Batu Ampar Port," he said.

Pelni submitted all the evidence and the three perpetrators to the authorities for legal processing in accordance with applicable regulations, "he continued.

On that occasion, Agus conveyed, Pelni invited all parties and the community to comply with the applicable regulations regarding passenger luggage.

"We invite all stakeholders and the public to comply with regulations related to passenger luggage for the sake of our comfort and safety," said Agus Suprijatno.