Sri Lankan National Smuggles 101 Birds Through Soekarno-Hatta Airport

Tangerang - Joint officers from Aviation Security (Avsec), Customs, and the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) have successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle hundreds of birds by a Sri Lankan national, identified by the initials NRRW, through the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport terminal in Tangerang, Banten.

The Head of the Banten Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office, Duma Sari, stated in Tangerang on Saturday that the smuggling attempt involved 101 birds. The animals were packed into 15 cardboard boxes, which were subsequently hidden inside suitcases intended for an international flight to Sri Lanka.

“Airports are strategic gateways for wildlife traffic. Synergy between Quarantine, Customs, Avsec, BKSDA, and related agencies is vital to detecting potential violations more rapidly,” she said.

She explained that based on initial identification by officers, the 101 birds consisted of various species, including the Papuan Magpie-robin, Mountain Sepah, Sparrows & Parakeets, River and Land Rain Sempur, Pleci, Sepah Raja, and Perkici. The Sepah Raja and Perkici species are confirmed to be categorised as protected wildlife under the prevailing laws and regulations regarding natural resource conservation.

She added that the Banten Quarantine Office is currently coordinating with the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to conduct further investigations and legal proceedings. Meanwhile, all rescued birds are undergoing a process of data collection, health examinations, species identification, and document verification to determine their status and the necessary rehabilitation steps in accordance with applicable procedures.