Firm punished for smuggling bid

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: A cargo forwarding company lost its operation permit yesterday after having attempted to smuggle 160 protected fish to Hong Kong last week.

Chief of the local fishery office Husni Mangga Barani told Antara that the firm, PT APM, intended to smuggle Napoleon fish (Napoleon wrasse) through Bali on May 14.

The foiled smuggling attempt also led to the police seizure of 300 kilograms of the well-known aquarium fish, being cultured in floating cages off Barrang Caddi island.

He said that had the authorities not foiled the smuggling attempt and seized the cultured fish near the island, the government would have lost about Rp 500 million (US$212,000) in taxes.

South Sulawesi is known to be Indonesia's largest Napoleon fish habitat. The species is abundant near Pangkajene, Spermonde, Selayar and Taka Bonerate.

On the local market, Napoleon fish sell for at least Rp 100,000 per kilogram. (pan)