Riau Islands Police Failed To Send 5,500 Lobster Fry From Lampung

Three jerry cans containing lobster fry were secured by Riau Islands Police personnel (ANTARA/HO-Ditreakrimsus Polda Kepri)

The Riau Islands Police thwarted the shipment of 5,500 lobster fry to be smuggled into Singapore via Batam City from Lampung Province.

"On July 26, 2023, personnel from the Special Criminal Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) of the Riau Islands Police thwarted an attempt to send 5,500 lobster fry brought from Lampung to Jambi, then taken to Batam City. From Batam, they will be smuggled into Singapore," said the Director of Special Crimes (Dirkrimsus) of the Riau Islands Police, Kombes Nasriadi in Batam, reported by ANTARA, Friday, July 28.

In the disclosure, his party arrested four suspects with the initials SB, AH, F, and Z. They were arrested at a people's port in Tanjung Riau, Batam City.

The arrests were made after information received by the police that there would be illegal shipments of lobster fry to Singapore via Batam City on Wednesday (26/7).

Then around 16.30 WIB, the team conducted surveillance of the suspects who were suspected of carrying lobster fry around Tanjung Riau Port by entering lobster fry into jerry cans.

Furthermore, the team secured the suspect and obtained 35 plastic bags containing 200 pearl fries and 5,300 sand.

"The lobster fry came from Bandar Lampung and were taken to Jambi. From Jambi they were brought back by using a fast boat to Batam. The lobster fry were sold at the price range of one pearl type lobster fry of Rp. 150,000 and Rp. 100,000 in sand," said Kombes Nasriadi.

The perpetrators were lined up with Article 88 in conjunction with Article 16 paragraph 1 of Law Number 45 of 2009 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 2004 concerning Fisheries as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 6 of 2023 concerning Perppu Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation.