North Sulawesi Quarantine Fails To Smuggle Dozens Of Bayan Birds To Kasturi From North Maluku

The North Sulawesi (North Sulawesi) quarantine succeeded in thwarting an attempt to allegedly smuggle protected wild animals using a motorboat from North Maluku. ANTARA/HO-Karantina North Sulawesi (1)

The North Sulawesi (Sulut) quarantine thwarted an attempt to smuggle protected wild animals using a motorboat from North Maluku.

"There are 17 types of birds suspected of being smuggled from North Maluku, without any quarantine documents from their area of origin," said the person in charge of the North Sulawesi Quarantine Service Post at Manado Sea Port, Hesti Rahmawati, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, February 2.

In addition, he said, the shipment of these animals was not accompanied by a letter of transportation for domestic wildlife (SATS-DN) from the Maluku Natural Resources Conservation Center.

The animal was found by the North Sulawesi Quarantine official in the bathroom of the Cantika Lestari 7F Motorboat (KM) during routine surveillance.

We received information regarding the alleged smuggling of animals. After the ship entered the port, the quarantine team immediately carried out surveillance and inspection. The team found five baskets containing birds hidden above the ship's bathroom. However, the owner is not known," said Hesti.

The task force that was secured was in the form of birds without quarantine documents from areas from North Maluku and were protected animals.

There are seven green parrots, five red spinach birds (Eclectus roratus), three Ternate kasturi (Lorius Garrulus), and two white cockatoos (Cacatua alba).

Head of the North Sulawesi Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center, I Wayan Kertanegara, emphasized that the perpetrators of this alleged smuggling could face criminal charges with layered articles related to quarantine violations as well as conservation of biological natural resources and their ecosystems.

He said that in Article 88 of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning the quarantine of animals, fish, and plants, violations of these regulations could be charged with a maximum of two years in prison and a maximum fine of two billion rupiah for crossing animals whose safety and health are not yet guaranteed.

"In addition, violations also occur because they cross protected wildlife, which is clear that there must be a SATS-DN," said Wayan.

In addition to being obliged to ensure that all poultry are free from the threat of quarantined animal pests when trafficked between areas, Wayan also explained in Article 72 of Law Number 21 of 2019, quarantine also carries out supervision and/or control of the income and expenditure of wild plants and animals in airports and ports that have been determined.

"Of course, in its implementation, it continues to synergize with relevant agencies," he said.

After being identified, quarantine officials handed over the protected animals to the North Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Center as the authorities.