Hidden under salted fish: Illegal bat meat seized at Aruk border post

Sambas, Thekabarnews.com—Once again, officials have stopped an attempt to smuggle illicit animal goods across the border between Indonesia and Malaysia. The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) stopped 1 kilogram of bat meat and 50 kilograms of salted fish at the Aruk Cross-border Post (PLBN) in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan, on Monday, February 16.

Officers found the unlawful shipment at the Aruk PLBN after noticing someone trying to hide it. The owner allegedly hid the bat meat under piles of salted fish to avoid detection by quarantine officers.

The West Kalimantan Quarantine Office head, Ferdi, said that authorities did not carry out the enforcement action solely because of the number of items seized. Instead, it was also about keeping the country’s biosecurity safe.

“Even in tiny volumes, these goods can be quite dangerous because they might bring pests and viruses that could harm the environment, public health, and food sources if they do not go through quarantine,” Ferdi said, Wednesday, February 18.

He states that authorities strictly regulate bat meat because scientists recognize bats as natural carriers of the Nipah virus, a hazardous disease that can spread from animals to humans. Moreover, authorities think that taking the virus is an important step to keep it from getting into Indonesia.

The Aruk PLBN Quarantine Service Unit is a detention facility where all of the seized items are now. Officials will follow the rules, process the evidence, and destroy it.

In the interim, the authorities in control have given the person who moved the merchandise strong instructions and warnings.

The incident demonstrates the government’s continued vigilant monitoring of Indonesia’s borders to prevent the entry of illegal animal products. Such products could pose a significant threat to public health.

As more individuals cross borders, quarantine officials must be on the lookout for contagious diseases. These diseases might try to get into the country.