Police Arrest Alleged Turtle Smuggler in Bali

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana,  Jul 15, 2014

A Green Sea Turtle grazes. (Wikimedia Commons)

Denpasar. Police foiled an alleged attempt to smuggle rare green turtles from Bali’s mainland to nearby Serangan Island on Tuesday — the latest arrest in a string of turtle smuggling busts to hit the popular tourist destination.

A 56-year-old man, identified as Sangkalan, was arrested early this morning after police officers on patrol in Ngurah Rai found 17 turtles inside his pickup truck, Denpasar Police Chief, Sr.Cmr. Djoko Hariutomo said.

The turtles were estimated to be more than 5 years old, given their size. They weighed about 50 kilograms each and measured about 1 meter in diameter, Djoko said.

Djoko said the driver claimed to have been following an order to transfer the turtles to Serangan, a small island located south of the capital Denpasar, from Jembrana.

“He was just a paid man, we haven’t revealed the syndicate,” the police chief said.

Bali was considered the main destination for smugglers trying to move turtles in Indonesia because of the high prices they commanded in the local animal trade, Djoko said.

Most were destined for culinary purposes.

Today’s arrest is the latest in a string of attempts to smuggle turtles in Bali.

Earlier this month two marine police officers in Bali were arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle seven green sea turtles, known as Chelonia mydas.

In March, police rescued another 17 green turtles transported to Bali from Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara.

Twelve of the turtles were released back into the ocean after they were treated, while the remaining five are still undergoing treatment.