Indonesia’s Yogyakarta Airport Thwarts Attempt to Smuggle 80,000 Lobster Seeds to Malaysia

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, May 23 (Bernama) -- The authorities at Yogyakarta Airport, on the island of Indonesia’s Java, have foiled an attempt to smuggle 80,000 lobster seeds to Malaysia via a flight on May 14, according to the Yogyakarta Customs Office.

“It all started with information that there were two suitcases owned by a passenger of an AirAsia flight, suspected to contain lobster seeds,” said its Education and Information Services Section head, Riri Riani, in a statement Thursday.

Following an investigation and physical examination conducted by the Customs Office, airport security, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Centre, and AirAsia, a total of 80,000 live lobster seeds were uncovered, packed into 40 plastic bags.

Recognising the need for immediate action, the lobster seeds were promptly transferred to the Yogyakarta Animal and Plant Quarantine Centre before being released at Pantai Baru, Bantul, she added.

-- BERNAMA