Export of live turtles foiled

Export of live turtles foiled

TANGERANG: Customs and Excise officers at the Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport have foiled the illegal export of 1,526
live turtles from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to Ghuangzou,
China, through the airport, an official said on Tuesday.

Customs and Excise director Permana Agung told reporters that
he assumed the turtles, which arrived from Banjarmasin last
Friday, were to be used for food and medicine.

He said that the turtles were documented as live turtles by
the sender UD Menara Mas of Jl. Kapten Tendean No. 19,
Banjarmasin, using Garuda flight GA 521. The senders did not have
a document issued by the Ministry of Forestry stating that the
turtles were not a protected species under the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora, known as a Cites document.

The West Cengkareng Natural Resources Conservation Center said
that the turtles consisted of two species: 1,423 Coura
amboinensis turtles that required a Cites document, and 113 Biuku
batagor baska, turtles. There is a ban on the export of Biuku
batagor baska turtles.

Permana said he had not notified the exporter, but he said he
would send several officers to Kalimantan to investigate the
illegal business.

In January, the officers also foiled the illegal export of 328
turtles sent by CV Agro Asia Tunggal from Balikpapan, East
Kalimantan, to Hong Kong.

Permana said the illegal export of turtles is against Law No.
5/1990 on natural resources conservation, which carries a maximum
prison term of five years.--JP