Three Tons of Pangolin Scales Smuggled, Hidden Behind Instant Noodles

Jakarta — The smuggling of three tonnes of pangolin scales is believed to have been carried out by concealing them behind boxes of instant noodles inside a single export container at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. Hartoyo, head of Investigation Section 2, Directorate General of Customs and Excise at Tanjung Priok, explained that suspicions arose after document analysis and scanning using X-ray. “What was stated in the documents were only two types of goods. Physically, there were three types of goods, with pangolin scales being the dominant item,” he said when he was met at JICT on Wednesday (4 March 2026). “From the team that conducted the inspection, when opened, the front part of the container contained instant noodles,” he added. “Nevertheless, Customs officials are continuing to probe to determine whether the exporter deliberately used instant noodles as camouflage to smuggle pangolin scales.” “So we are still gathering information and examining the allegations made against the exporter,” he said. Meanwhile, the head of the KPU Directorate General of Customs and Excise at Tanjung Priok, Adhang Noegroho Adhi, revealed that the Export Goods Declaration (PEB) documents list Cambodia as the destination country. “The main destination of this export is Cambodia. The PEB documents state Cambodia as the destination. However, we are still investigating what is inside the country; the exporting company, PT, is only now making its first export,” he said at a press conference at Tanjung Priok Port on Wednesday. He added that his agency is continuing to probe the parties suspected of involvement in the smuggling. “Who the perpetrators are and so on. For now, we have only secured the items and are conducting further investigations into who is suspected of carrying out this smuggling,” he added. However, investigators found three compartments in the container, which raised the possibility that other undeclared commodities were included. “We are analysing the Export Goods Declaration (PEB) filed by PT TSR. It listed two types of goods: Sea Cucumber and Instant Noodle,” he said at the press conference at Tanjung Priok Port on Wednesday (4 March 2026). “However, three compartments were found, suggesting that goods not declared in the export may be present,” he added.