Govt agencies implicated in animal smuggling
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The customs agency, airport security and the Soekarno-Hatta Animal Quarantine office often work in cahoots with smugglers to bring protected animals out of the country, a source at the Soekarno-Hatta Animal Quarantine office says.
"There are a lot of parties involved, you can't just blame one agency," said the source, who wished to remain anonymous, when asked to comment on the smuggling of 50 emerald monitor lizards to Croatia in November.
He said the 50 lizards, which were put in a carry-on bag in the airplane cabin's overhead compartment, had to pass at least two x-ray checkpoints at the Soekarno-Hatta airport.
"Besides customs and airport security personnel, quarantine officers are also supposed to be present at the checkpoints," said the source.
Dalvir Kumar, a Croatian citizen, traveled from Jakarta to Zagreb, Croatia on Nov. 28. At the Zagreb airport, a Croatian Customs Officer told Kumar that his luggage had to be inspected. Kumar then declared to the officer that he was in possession of 50 live emerald monitor lizards. Soon afterwards, airport officials discovered that the emerald monitors were a protected species and that Kumar did not possess the necessary documents, including a CITES export permit from Indonesia.
At least 33 of the monitor lizards arrived back in Jakarta last Thursday.
The source said there are numerous other ways for animals to be smuggled besides being carried on to the airplane cabin.
He said one such loophole often exploited by illegal wildlife traders was to smuggle the animals to a country not bound by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which protects over 25,000 plant species and 5,000 animal species.
"If the animal is going to a CITES member country, we will only issue a certificate if there is an accompanying CITES document," said the source at the quarantine office. "However, if it is going to a non-CITES country..."
For a protected animal, such as the emerald monitor lizard, to leave Indonesia to another CITES country, an export permit must be obtained through the Ministry of Forestry. Once at the airport, the animals are inspected by the airport quarantine, and if healthy, are given a health certificate.
Out of the 191 nations who are United Nations members, there are 24 countries that are not bound by CITES, including Angola, Armenia, Bahrain, Haiti, Iraq, Oman, and Lebanon. Both Croatia and Indonesia have ratified the CITES.
The head of the Soekarno-Hatta customs office, Nofrial, could not be reached for comment.
Animal activists also agreed that the smuggling of protected animals indicated collusion between officials in airports and the smugglers.
"Without collusion between relevant officials at the airport, such an illegal practice would never happen," said member of Supervisory Council of the Tegal Alur Wild Animal Center (PPS) Pramudia Harzani on Tuesday.
According to Pramudia, there was also an effort to smuggle some 60 protected animals, mostly birds and monkeys, on Feb. 2, which was foiled by the customs office.
A similar comment was made by Irma Hermawati of the Animal Advocacy Institute (LAS).
She called on the police to investigate the case thoroughly so that such illegal practices could be prevented.
Animal smuggling is a violation of Law No. 5/1990 on biodiversity conservation.
"Without tough action against the smugglers and those who are involved in the practices, such incidents will happen again and again," Irma told The Jakarta Post.