Polairud Polda Bali has arrested 21 protected animal collectors in the form of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) which are still alive sent from Madura, East Java.
Head of Public Relations of the Bali Police, Kombes Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto, during a press conference in Denpasar, Bali, Monday said that the disclosure of the case was carried out on Sunday (30/4) night in Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali. A perpetrator named Made Japa (48) was arrested.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Water and Air Police (Dirpolairud) of the Bali Police, Kombes. Soelistijono stated that the suspect MJ was a green turtle collector who received the protected animal from outside Bali.
"This perpetrator is a collector. If we look at the results of the examination last night after we secured this item from Gilimanuk. Before arriving at Gilimanuk, the origin of this turtle was from Madura," he said, Monday, May 1.
Until now, the investigation continues with the target of uncovering suppliers of protected animals and those involved in the smuggling of the 21 animals.
Based on the results of the interrogation of the suspect MJ, the police received information that the turtles stored at the suspect's house were intended as selling goods.
This was revealed from the evidence which was also secured at the suspect's house in the form of pieces of turtle meat that had been processed and who was sold by the suspect.
The disclosure of the case began with public information regarding the sale of turtle meat at the suspect's house.
After receiving this information, officers from the Bali Police Ditpolairud immediately went to the suspect's house and searched the house. In the house, officers also found 21 green turtles placed in a special pool.
After the investigation, the police also found out that there were many sales of turtle meat in the Bali area which took meat from the suspect's house to be traded widely.
MJ was charged with imprisonment for five years and a fine of Rp. 100 million for violating Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a, letter b, in conjunction with Article 40 paragraph (2) of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems in conjunction with Government Regulation No. 7 of 1999 in conjunction with Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia No. P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning protected plant and animal species.
Meanwhile, the Head of the KSDADenpasar Resort Nyoman Alit Suardana said the 21 green turtles that were secured were 10 to 50 years old.
"From the results of the examination of the existing turtles, the small ones are around 10 years old and the large ones are around 50 years old, and the length is 96 Centi Meters," he said.
Alit said that currently his party is coordinating with veterinarians to find out the health of the 21 green turtles.
Furthermore, the 21 green turtles will be deposited in a deterrence area in Tambaksari, Tanjung Benoa, Badung, Bali to wait for the release time back to their habitat in the sea.
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