Airport customs officers foil snake smuggling

TANGERANG (JP): Customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have foiled an attempt to smuggle 789 jali snakes to Singapore.

Director General for Customs and Excise Permana Agung said the snakes were packed among 62 boxes labeled "chili" which were to be shipped on a Garuda flight to Singapore on Sept. 29.

Only one box contained the hot commodity while the rest were filled with the all black one-meter long snakes, a protected species, which are believed to have some healing powers.

"Customs officers became suspicious because the packages were tightly sealed. Usually vegetable parcels are slightly ajar to let some air in," Permana said.

Because of the intense heat, 130 snakes died in the cartons, he said, adding that the rest had been sent to an animal quarantine.

Permana said the authorities were investigating the case.

The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) and Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources and ecosystem included jali snake as protected species and therefore cannot be traded.

Violators are liable to up to five years-imprisonment and a Rp 100 million fine, Permana added. (41/edt)