Police Rescued Smuggled Parrots Stuffed into Plastic Bottles
Surabaya (ANTARA News) - Police of Tanjung Perak Resort, Surabaya, foiled a smuggling attempt of parrot, which were stuffed into medium sized plastic bottles, from a passenger ship in Tanjung Perak seaport.
"We got an information that there were wild animals being smuggled in the ship. We searched the ship and arrested a passenger carrying parrots on board of KM Tidar," said AKP Aldy Sulaiman, Head of Criminal Unit of Tanjung Perak police dept.
He also mentioned that the police also confiscated 22 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and a Eclectus Parrot from the arrested passenger, who has been brought in for questioning
This operation began when the police received an information and suspected a passenger who was getting off of the ship. When officials searched his luggage, they found a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and an Eclectus Parrot.
"Both parrots were packed in a carton box belonged to a passenger of KM Tidar. Its route is Papua-Makassar-Surabay-Jakarta," said AKP Lily Djafar, Public Relation officer of Tanjung Perak police dept.
They then checked some chambers on the ship, and finally found 21 cockatoos which were separated in to groups.
"The protected birds were crammed into plastic bottles. In total, we rescued 22 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and one Eclectus Parrot," she added.
A passenger, MY, from Mojokerto is now arrested by the police for interrogation and further investigation. He confessed that he got the two birds from his friend in Makassar, but he does not know anything about the other 21 birds.
"We are conducting further investigation on this case, and also trying to see if MY is involved in the smuggling attempt of the 21 other parrots hidden in deck 3,"
Following this investigation, the police will coordinate with the Natural Resource Conservation Agency of East Java concerning the treatment for the confiscated birds.
If MY is proven to be involved in the smuggling attempt, he could be charged for violating the Law no. 5 of 1990 article 21 (2a) juncto article 40 (2), juncto article 42 (2) Government Regulation no. 8 of 1999 concerning the use of wild flora and fauna. Thus, he is liable to 5 years of prison.
Editor: Tasrief Tarmizi
Source: www.antaranews.com