​Soekarno-Hatta Customs prevent smuggling of pangolin scales to Hong Kong worth Rp 2.1 billion

Despite the police and a conservation NGO busting a pangolin poaching operation in Medan last month, it seems the endangered animal is still being poached for their scales in Indonesia.

The Customs Office at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport yesterday prevented the illegal export of a huge amount of pangolin scales. The scales were placed in 17 crates and are estimated to be worth up to Rp 2.1 billion in total. Pangolin scales are in great demand in Vietnam and China for their perceived medicinal qualities.

“The [contents of the crates] were identified as dried seahorse by the sender. It was being sent from Cibinong to Kwutong, Hong Kong,” said head of Soekarno-Hatta Airport Customs Okto Irianto, as quoted by Tempo today. 

Okto added that previously, poachers tried to smuggle pangolin scales on three separate occasions in January 2015.

Head of the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency Awen Supranata said the agency traced the address of the sender of the latest smuggling attempt. When authorities arrived at the address, they found an empty house.

The poaching of protected animals is punishable with up to 5 years in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million.



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