Luggage filled with thousands of smuggled lobsters worth $1.31M found at airport
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Officers from the Fish Quarantine and Fishery Quality Control Agency hold up the bags and clothes used to smuggle in thousands of lobster seeds. (Fish Quarantine and Fishery Quality Control Agency)
Two passengers were caught attempting to smuggle 125,619 lobster seeds into Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Indonesia last week.
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Aviation Security officers intercepted four suitcases filled with plastic bags carrying the lobster seeds, believed to be pearl and sand lobsters, concealed in clothing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rina, the head of the Fish Quarantine and Fishery Quality Control Agency (BKIPM), told the Jakarta Post, that officials became suspicious of the suitcases that had been left in the baggage handling area.
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“The suitcases were destined for Singapore using national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia,” Rina said on Saturday as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Though the suitcases originally appeared to only be packed with clothes when processed through the X-ray machine, officers reportedly thought something looked fishy and decided to unpack the bags.
The Aviation Officers found the thousands of lobster seeds, which are used for lobster farming, reportedly estimated to be worth $1.31 million USD (Rp 19 billion).
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Though officers nabbed the bags, the two Indonesian passengers identified as owning the luggage could not be found for questioning.
Police are still searching for the suspects, who, if found guilty, could face up to six years in prison and a fine of $105,225 USD (Rp 1.5 billion) for the seafood smuggling under the 2004 Fisheries Affair Law.