JAKARTA: The Indonesian authorities have aborted a plan to illegally ship 1,950 eggs of protected turtles to Malaysia, an official from the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries said on Wednesday.
Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision of the ministry Pung Nugroho said that the operation to halt the attempt took place on Tuesday at a seaport in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan province.
The eggs were transported by a ship from Tambelan Island in Riau Islands province, Nugroho said, noting that the eggs were allegedly intended for consumption or breeding.
The interception of the illegal shipment was carried out by a joint team involving personnel from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and the Animal and Fish Quarantine Center of Wilker Sintete in West Kalimantan province, he added.
The value of these eggs is estimated at 29.25 million rupiah (around 1,795 U.S. dollars).
