Indonesian Navy Prevent 277.800 Lobster Larvae Smugglery

Sumatra – The joint fleet one quick response (F1QR) team from the Palembang Navy Base (Lanal) successfully uncovered a syndicate of lobster seed smugglers in Jambi waters, South Sumatra.

Commander of the Palembang Navy Base, Sandi Kurniawan stated that the Palembang Navy's F1QR Team had successfully arrested four lobster seed smugglers around Lambur Luar Waters, East Tanjung Jabung, Jambi on Friday.

From the hands of the four suspects, continued Danlanal Palembang, the F1QR Team managed to secure a number of evidence in the form of 52 boxes of Sand and Pearl type BBL totaling 277,800 tails or the equivalent of IDR 46.8 billion.

In addition, Kurniawan said the Palembang Lanal F1QR Team also secured one unit of wooden boat used by the perpetrators to transport hundreds of thousands of lobster seeds to a fast boat that was waiting in the middle of the sea to be taken to Singapore waters.

“They carry lobster seeds using wooden boats to fast boats that will carry the lobster seeds abroad then send it to Singapore and Vietnam," Kurniawan informed in a statement.

He further explained, "The Palembang Lanal F1QR Team also succeeded in thwarting the smuggling of lobster seeds on the coast of the Sumber Teluk Betung Village River, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra on last May 2.

Furthermore, Kurniawan revealed that the four smugglers with the initials MS (31), SL (42), HT (30), and MR (23) are currently still undergoing the examination process at Palembang Lanal.

“Currently, we have secured the four perpetrators at Palembang Navy Base for further investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of lobster seeds that were rescued were immediately handed over to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to be cultivated.