Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Type C Customs Office Gatot Sugeng Wibowo stated in Tangerang on Friday that they had detained a foreign citizen from Egypt, identified only by the initials as GMA, 36, in connection with the smuggling of endangered Indonesian animals.
Gatot revealed that Customs officers discovered the primates hidden inside cardboard boxes and bamboo cages, disguised with food and clothing, in the passenger's suitcase during a routine check of an Emirates flight (EK-357) from Jakarta (CGK) to Dubai (DXB) on August 29.
"The passenger and evidence were then secured at the Soekarno-Hatta Customs Office for further examination," Gatot stated.
The seized animals included one siamang gibbon (Symphalangus syndactylus) and two ungko gibbons (Hylobates agilis), both listed as Appendix I species under CITES, indicating they are prohibited from international trade.
Gatot remarked that these primates are also classified as Endangered (EN) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature-UN (IUCN) Red List and are protected animals in Indonesia under Law Number 5 of 1990 and its implementing regulations.
Based on the suspect's statement, the three rare primates were obtained from a wildlife provider in Indonesia with the intention of being trafficked to the United Arab Emirates.
The perpetrator admitted to a history of trading rare animals from various countries, particularly in Asia, for resale in the Middle East and Africa.
"With sufficient evidence, the case has been escalated to the investigation stage, and GMA has been formally charged as a suspect," Gatot remarked.
GMA faces charges under Article 102 A of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Customs, with a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of Rp5 billion.
Additionally, he is charged under Article 87 of Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine, with a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment and a fine of Rp3 billion.
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Translator: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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