Police foil turtle poaching

SORONG, Irian Jaya: Authorities have impounded a ship, belonging to a private company, and 13 people on board, on charges of poaching endangered turtles.

Chief of the Sorong office of natural resource conservation, G. Nababan, said that the operation was launched in the Missaol waters on a tip-off from residents.

The authorities confiscated 180 live green turtles from the suspects, Mababan said.

Green turtles are not on the list of species protected by law but they may not be caught without an official permit from the government because their population is rapidly dwindling, he added.

All but seven of the turtles have been set free, into their habitat, and the rest are being kept as material evidence for when the suspects are bought to trial, Antara reported. (pan)