March 17, 2026 | 04:04 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Illegal Wildlife Rescue Team of the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) unveiled the smuggling of hundreds of birds from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on the early morning of Thursday, March 12, 2026.
In a joint operation with the police, the team discovered the birds hidden under the arriving truck's cargo at Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya.
A day prior, NTT BBKSDA officers received a report about the suspected wildlife smuggling to Surabaya on the Dharma Rucitra VII vessel. The birds, the report said, were likely loaded and hidden under logistics trucks to avoid inspection.
At the port, four trucks, previously identified by an informant, were targeted for inspection during the operations. Sumpena, who led the operation, said in a written statement that "the initial information we received was quite specific, including the description of the vehicles suspected of transporting the animals."
During the inspection, the team discovered three hidden iron cages underneath the vehicle's cargo. Inside were 209 individual birds of two different species. Among them were one male and two female Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius). The two female birds were found injured on the head. The other cage contained 206 Indian White-eye birds (Zosterops palpebrosus), with 189 live and 17 dead.
Neither bird species is protected wildlife under the existing regulations and neither is listed under the CITES treaty. But shipment and trade of wildlife without proper documents remain under conservation authorities' oversight.
According to Sumpena, wildlife smuggling through sea routes is still quite rampant. "Wild animals loaded into cargo to avoid surveillance is a common method," he said.
Following the discovery, the vehicle drivers were immediately probed by the police, while the birds were transferred to the transit cages of the Wildlife Rescue Unit at the East Java BBKSDA.
Read: Thousands of Songbirds Saved from Smuggling in Bali
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Indonesian Authorities Unveil 496 Tons of Smuggled Tin Worth Rp173bn
29 hari lalu
The smugglers constantly changed their smuggling methods, but they often disguised the tin through marine product shipments.
Thousands of Songbirds Saved from Smuggling in Bali
54 hari lalu
Bali has become a transit point for bird smuggling from Lombok and Java
How Importers Smuggle Fishery Commodities into Indonesia
13 Januari 2026
Out of the hundreds of perpetrators who tried to smuggle fishery commodities in 2025, only three escaped.
Marine Ministry Reveals Indonesia Still Imports Mackerel
13 Januari 2026
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) admits that Indonesia still imports salmon and mackerel.
Indonesian Authorities Bust 99 Tons of Smuggled Frozen Mackerel
13 Januari 2026
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 99,972 tons of frozen pacific mackerel through Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta.
Purbaya Claims Improved Performance at Customs and Excise
18 Desember 2025
Finance Minister Purbaya said that the Customs and Excise DG has become significantly more proactive in identifying and combating customs violations.
Indonesian Customs: Sumatra's East Coast Highly Vulnerable to Smuggling
11 Desember 2025
The Directorate General of Customs and Excise reveals that the East Coast of Sumatra has become a vulnerable area for smuggling activities.
Iran Gasoline Price Hike Risks More Public Unrest
29 November 2025
Empty state coffers, coupled with unchecked consumption and thriving smuggling, have forced the Iranian government to raise gasoline prices.
Prabowo Orders Police Chief to Prioritize Crackdown on Drugs, Smuggling, and Online Gambling
30 Oktober 2025
Prabowo considers these three problems a serious threat to the nation's future and must be addressed thoroughly.
Indonesia, Malaysia Strengthen Monitoring of Protected Fish and Sea Turtle Eggs
6 Oktober 2025
The hunting and smuggling of protected fish species, including sea turtle eggs, from Indonesia to Malaysia, has become a crucial issue.
