Customs seize Rp 2.09b in cash<\/p>\n
TANGERANG (JP): Soekarno-Hatta International Airport customs
\nand excise officials have foiled an attempt to ship cash worth Rp
\n2.09 billion (US$298,570) in Rp 50,000 notes to Singapore, an
\nofficial said here on Saturday.<\/p>\n
"The money was carried in a suitcase by Luki Lumondo, a
\nresident of Karang Anyar of Sawah Besar subdistrict, Central
\nJakarta, who was about to board a plane to Singapore on Friday,"
\ndeputy chief of the Soekarno-Hatta customs and excise office,
\nTonny Soenanto, told reporters.<\/p>\n
The officers were suspicious of the contents of a piece of
\nluggage and checked it at the gate, he said.<\/p>\n
Tonny, however, gave no details on the number of suspects
\narrested.<\/p>\n
He said such attempts were subject to charges under Law No.
\n18\/1998 on the removal and import of rupiah to or from the
\ncountry's territory, a violation which carries an administrative
\nsanction of Rp 1 billion in fines.<\/p>\n
"They need a special permit from the Central Bank to do such a
\nhuge transfer of money," Tonny said.<\/p>\n
Head of the airport's customs and excise office, Heru Santoso,
\nwho accompanied Tonny, revealed that his men had also thwarted an
\nattempt to smuggle 527 cobras worth some Rp 79 million to Kuala
\nLumpur a day earlier.<\/p>\n
The finding was made after the officials became suspicious on
\nThursday afternoon of the contents of 36 boxes which the cobras
\nwere in.<\/p>\n
"The boxes were stacked in a storage area with the sender
\nlisted as PT Wahana Anugrah Bangun Semesta and were about to be
\nloaded on board Singapore Airlines flight 163," Heru said in a
\nmedia conference.<\/p>\n
The cobras were transferred on Saturday to the animal
\nquarantine for temporary care.<\/p>\n
Heru said the freight was stamped with labels saying fresh
\ncrabs.<\/p>\n
"We found fresh crabs in the upper parts of the boxes... but
\nwhen we checked the lower parts, each floor of the 36 boxes
\ncontained cobras," Heru said.<\/p>\n
He said Thursday's attempt was the first for snakes bound for
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
Cobra is a very expensive commodity abroad. Besides its meat
\nand skin, people also use its poison for medicine.<\/p>\n
Reports said that cobras sell well in China and other Asian
\ncountries where prices can reach an equivalent of Rp 150,000 per
\nkilogram.<\/p>\n
Indonesian sale prices are set between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000
\nfor each snake, depending on the size.<\/p>\n
Cobra is a protected species here and its export and trade are
\nforbidden under Law No.5\/1990 on Natural Resources and Ecosystem
\nConservation and the Convention of International Trade on
\nEndangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).<\/p>\n
"Cobra exporters can also be charged with Law No. 10\/1995 on
\nCustoms and Excise, which carries fines of Rp 200 million and a
\nsentence of five years in prison," Heru said.<\/p>\n
The species is also protected under Law No.16\/1992 on Fish,
\nAnimal and Plant Quarantine, a violation of which carries a
\nsentence of up to five years in prison and a Rp 100 million fine.<\/p>\n
Heru said on Saturday that in the past three months customs
\nofficials also prevented attempts to smuggle 10,000 pirated
\ncompact discs (CDs) and video compact discs (VCDs) worth a total
\nof Rp 255 million.<\/p>\n
The CDs and VCDs were being transported to other provinces.<\/p>\n
Heru did not mention any details on the findings. (41\/ylt)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/customs-seize-rp-209b-in-cash-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }