Indonesian Maritime Security Agency Fails Smuggling of Lobster Seeds Worth IDR 19 Billion to Malaysia

Bakamla RI together with Riau Islands Customs, Lantamal IV, and Bais TNI in Karimun Waters, Riau Islands, Wednesday, October 25. (Ist)

KARIMUN -  The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency together with the Riau Islands Customs and Excise, Lantamal IV, and the Indonesian Army (TNI) Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais TNI) succeeded in thwarting an attempt to smuggle lobster seeds which were thought to be smuggled to Malaysia. A thwarting attempt was made in Karimun Waters, Riau Islands, Wednesday, October 25.

Commander KN. Marore-322 Bakamla Lt. Col. Yuli Eko Prihartanto said the total number of lobster seeds was 123,082, with an estimated value of 19 billion rupiah.

"In the detailed results of the calculation by officers, there were 105,047 sand type lobster seeds with a value of IDR 15,757,050,000 and 18,035 pearl type lobster seeds worth IDR 3,607,000,000," said Lieutenant Colonel Bakamla Yuli.

As for the chronology of the arrest, the joint patrol was carried out after information was received by Bakamla RI through the Bakamla RI Command and Control Center (Puskodal) regarding the existence of an unnamed High Speed ​​Craft (HSC) carrying out the activity of loading a number of boxes suspected of containing lobster seeds in Kuala Tungkal waters.

Based on the development of information from Puskodal, Bakamla RI together with Lantamal IV, Customs and Excise, and Bais TNI, coordinated and formed a marine patrol Task Force (Satgas) to carry out surveillance in a number of locations suspected of being used by the perpetrators.

Finally, on Tuesday at around 02.00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), in the waters of Geranting Island, the Customs and Excise marine patrol team noticed the movement of a suspicious speedboat carrying lobster seeds, and then launched a pursuit of the speedboat.

During the pursuit process, the speedboat of the smugglers and the marine patrol team experienced a collision with a coral reef, which resulted in the speedboat being stranded.

However, the speedboat suspected of carrying lobster seeds was successfully repaired and continued the escape attempt. After the Task Force team was able to continue their actions, a search was carried out by combing the waters around Head Jerih Island.

After this series of processes, the joint team operating at Interceptor 1 BC 11002 and Patkamla Lantamal IV, succeeded in capturing the ship along with 22 boxes containing lobster seeds in the waters west of Head Jerih.

The lobster seeds consisted of 105,047 sand types and 18,035 pearl types, with a state loss of around 19 billion rupiah.

Currently the perpetrator has been arrested to undergo further legal proceedings. Apart from that, releases were carried out in the waters east of Merak Karimun Island to protect lobster seeds.