In a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday, Head of the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) Nur Patria Kurniawan said that the truck was caught at Jamrud Utara Port in Tanjung Perak during a documentation check.
The check was conducted by the intelligence team of the Law Enforcement Sub-Directorate of the Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) of the East Java Regional Police.
While the truck was declared to be carrying cell phone accessories, officials found 438 wild animals inside, with no supporting official documentation.
“We appreciate the solid synergy between Ditpolairud and the East Java BBKSDA team. This is not just a law enforcement operation. This is an effort to save lives, maintain ecosystem balance, and emphasize that Indonesia is serious about protecting its biodiversity,” Kurniawan said.
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“We are not just confiscating animals, but also saving the nation’s biological heritage. This is a strong warning to those involved in illegal wildlife trade: we will monitor, fight, and take action,” he added.
He informed that the truck was seized during a document inspection in early July. The wild animals and the truck’s driver were taken to the Water Police Headquarters.
The majority of the smuggled animals, which were meant for sale, came from the Wallacea region and eastern Indonesia.
They included 16 Sulawesi monitor lizards (Varanus salvator celebensis); 15 white-rumped shamas ( Copsychus malabaricus), one of which died; 299 white-eyes (Zosterops melanurus), 26 of which died; 45 sunbirds (Cinnyris jugularis) and mangrove thrushes (Cyornis rufigastra); 65 kingfishers (Basilornis celebensis); and 65 grosbeak starlings (Scissirostrum dubium).
They have been handed over to the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) for identification, counting, and medical examination.
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Translator: Arie Novarina
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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