3,394 Birds Smuggled into Sidoarjo via Two Trucks; Two Vietnamese Nationals Detained
The Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian National Police has dismantled an alleged smuggling operation involving thousands of birds from abroad into Indonesia. A total of 3,394 birds were found being stored in a house in Kepatihan Village, Tulangan District, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java.
The disclosure was carried out by the Smuggling Task Force of the Directorate of Specific Crimes (Dittipidter) Bareskram Polri, alongside a joint inter-agency team. The team included the East Java BBKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency), the East Java Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office, the Juanda Class I Special Immigration Office, and the Sub-directorate of Specific Crimes of the East Java Regional Police.
The thousands of birds are suspected to have entered Indonesia without the required quarantine documents, including animal health certificates from their country of origin.
The Head of Public Relations for the East Java Regional Police, Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, stated that quarantine regulations are a vital part of efforts to protect Indonesia’s biological natural resources. “Every import of animals, fish, plants, or other carriers from outside the territory of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia must comply with quarantine provisions and undergo official mechanisms in accordance with statutory regulations,” he said.
According to Jules, supervision and law enforcement regarding quarantine require cooperation between various agencies.
The Head of Sub-directorate 1 of the Criminal Investigation Agency, Commissioner Setyo Kusheriatno, stated that investigators found evidence that the thousands of birds allegedly entered without health certificates from the country of origin. “Based on the investigation results, the animals were transported using two trucks and arrived at the storage facility in Sidoarjo on 28 September 2026 at approximately 18:30 WIB,” said Commissioner Setyo.
Of the total 3,394 birds, there were three species non-endemic to Indonesia. A total of 444 Chinese Hwamei (Garrulax canorus) were seized; of these, 404 were alive and 40 were dead. There were also 116 Black-collared Starlings (Gracupica nigricollis), with 107 alive and nine dead. The largest group consisted of 2,834 Black-throated Laughingthrushes (Pterorhinus chinensis), with 2,722 alive and 112 dead.
In addition to the birds, investigators also seized 50 wooden shipping boxes and 10 metal boxes. After questioning 12 witnesses and conducting a case review, investigators have named two Vietnamese nationals, identified by the initials LVT and LN, as suspects.