Barantin Strengthens Commodity Traffic Surveillance at Kepri Borders

The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) is strengthening surveillance in border areas, especially in the Riau Islands (Kepri), through seven strategic measures to prevent the smuggling of illegal commodities while reinforcing the national biosecurity system. Barantin Primary Secretary Shahandra Hanitiyo stated that the complexity of surveillance challenges in border regions is increasing due to the high flow of inter-country commodity traffic. Strengthening surveillance has therefore become a priority for the agency through these seven strategic steps. The seven measures include expanding the reach of surveillance, strengthening human resources, modernising laboratories, improving operational facilities, constructing integrated government installations, accelerating the digitalisation of surveillance, and intensifying integrated cross-agency operations. Shahandra emphasised that these strategies are being promoted to ensure that the protection of Indonesia’s biosecurity is more optimal. He conveyed this commitment while accompanying a working visit by the House of Representatives’ Commission IV to the Integrated Physical Service Point at Batu Ampar Port in Batam. He noted that this strengthening is a key focus because border areas serve as the frontline in preventing the entry and spread of pests, diseases, and invasive organisms that could threaten the agricultural, livestock, fishery, and environmental sectors. He highlighted that the Riau Islands is a particularly strategic area as it directly borders Singapore and Malaysia. This region serves as a gateway for international trade while also possessing a high level of vulnerability to commodity smuggling. Barantin is also strengthening human resource capacity by improving officer competency, modernising laboratories to accelerate the identification of pests and diseases, and completing operational facilities to ensure more effective field surveillance. Furthermore, the digitalisation of services and surveillance is being developed to make the inspection, certification, and tracking processes for carriers faster, more transparent, and more accurate. These efforts are reinforced through the construction of integrated government installations and joint operations with various ministries, agencies, and law enforcement officials. Hasim, Head of the Riau Islands Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Centre, stated that surveillance in an archipelagic region cannot be carried out by a single agency alone. Given the Riau Islands’ characteristics with many entry and exit points, strengthening inter-agency synergy is key to narrowing the operational space for smugglers. Throughout the first half of 2026, the Riau Islands Quarantine Centre carried out 18 rejection actions and 10 destruction actions against commodities that did not meet quarantine requirements. Additionally, five criminal quarantine cases related to rice commodities were successfully resolved to P-21 status. During the visit, the House of Representatives Commission IV delegation, led by Deputy Chairman Alex Indra Lukman, inspected the document checking, administrative verification, and physical examination processes for carriers at the Batu Ampar Port Integrated Physical Service Point. Through the strengthening of these seven strategies, Barantin hopes that the surveillance system in border areas will become more effective in preventing the entry, exit, and spread of Quarantine Animal Diseases, Quarantine Fish Diseases, and Quarantine Plant Pest Organisms.