Indonesia seizes more than 208,000 lobster eggs smuggled to Singapore

The authorities say the state could have had a loss of US$2.4 million if the smuggling attempt had been successful.

Lobster eggs seized in Indonesia
A lobster sits in a holding bin before having its claws banded onboard the lobster boat. Reuters

Indonesian authorities seized more than 200,000 lobster eggs that were due for Singapore through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the Jakarta Post reported on Sunday. According to reports, the suspects had attempted to deliver a big part of the goods via a Garuda Indonesia flight to Singapore.

"We confiscated 208,756 lobster eggs inside eight suitcases," Indonesia's National Police Special Crimes Directorate Chief Brigadier General Purwadi Arianto told tribunnews.com.

The official added that the state could have had a loss of US$2.4 million if the smuggling attempt had been successful.

The Jakarta Post reported that the police are questioning two individuals identified as AM and WHY. AM has been named a suspect in the case while WHY is being treated as a witness.

In cooperation with other agencies, the police have released the lobster eggs on Carita Beach in Banten, keeping only 256 as evidence.

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