Indonesian police last week raided a warehouse in Kepatihan village, Sidoarjo regency, where they discovered 3,394 birds, with 3,233 still alive.
Authorities arrested two Vietnamese citizens, LVT and LM, on charges of smuggling these ornamental birds from abroad into Indonesia without proper quarantine certificates or import documents. Colonel Setyo Kusheriatno, head of the Special Criminal Investigation Unit of the Indonesian National Police, stated this on 6/10.
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Indonesian authorities intercepted an ornamental bird smuggling attempt at Gilimanuk port, Jembrana, Bali on 3/8. Photo: *Jakarta Post*
The seized birds belonged to three species: white-rumped shama, oriental magpie-robin, and common myna. Their total value is estimated at 9.6 billion rupiah (over 536,000 USD). They were handed over to the Barantin agency in East Java for medical checks and quarantine.
According to Setyo, the two suspects were responsible for guarding the warehouse, monitoring and caring for the birds, and recording their live and death counts. They received instructions from another Vietnamese citizen named ALY, whose whereabouts are unknown.
Setyo said investigators questioned 14 witnesses, including the warehouse manager and workers. The two suspects could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 10 billion rupiah.
"The investigation is ongoing. We are further verifying the origin, clarifying the supply network, and identifying distribution channels in Indonesia", Setyo added.
Rosek Nursahid, founder of the wildlife conservation organization ProFauna Indonesia, stated that the increasing smuggling of ornamental birds stems from the severe decline of wild bird populations in Indonesia after decades of overhunting.
Due to high demand for ornamental birds in Indonesia, smuggling networks have sought supplies from abroad for profit. Rosek urged the Indonesian government to enact comprehensive regulations protecting wild bird species residing in forest conservation areas.
By Hoang Lan (*Jakarta Post*)
