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| West Kalimantan Quarantine destroys illegal animal, fish, and plant commodities suspected of carrying dangerous pests and diseases entering Indonesia. |
The Indonesian Quarantine Agency, through the Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office of West Kalimantan (Karantina Kalbar), destroyed various animal, fish, and plant commodities suspected of carrying quarantine pests and diseases. The destruction was carried out as part of law enforcement efforts to prevent the spread of dangerous diseases into Indonesia.
Director of Animal Quarantine Actions at the Indonesian Quarantine Agency, Cicik Sri Sukarsih, said the destruction took place at the Karantina Kalbar Quarantine Installation in Pontianak on Friday. The action was conducted in accordance with Law Number 21 of 2019 on Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.
The commodities destroyed had previously been detained by officers between January and February 2026. Authorities suspected the items could serve as carriers of Animal Quarantine Pests and Diseases (HPHK), Fish Quarantine Pests and Diseases (HPIK), and Plant Quarantine Pest Organisms (OPTK).
Various Animal Commodities Destroyed
During the operation, officers destroyed several animal-based commodities considered at risk of spreading disease. Evidence destroyed included 1,650 kilograms of table eggs, 480 kilograms of cowhide, and 3,000 kilograms of chicken offal.
In addition, several pork-based products were also destroyed. These included 38.80 kilograms of pork, 6.96 kilograms of processed pork, 3.22 kilograms of pork jerky, 8.24 kilograms of pork sausages, 0.98 kilograms of pork crackers, 3.745 kilograms of pork meatballs, and 2 kilograms of corned meat.
Authorities stated the commodities lacked proper quarantine documentation or originated from areas considered high-risk for disease transmission.
Illegal Horticulture and Fishery Products Also Destroyed
Besides animal commodities, Karantina Kalbar also destroyed several horticultural products. These included oranges, guava, strawberries, blueberries, green grapes, and shallots.
A number of illegal fishery products were also included in the destruction.
Officials said the commodities originated from various regions, both domestically and internationally, including Central Java and neighboring Malaysia.
The goods entered West Kalimantan through several entry points, including seaports, airports, and cross-border posts.
Preventing the Spread of Dangerous Diseases
Cicik Sri Sukarsih expressed appreciation for the work of Karantina Kalbar officers who successfully secured the illegal commodities.
She explained that West Kalimantan holds a strategic geographical position with numerous unofficial entry points and cross-border routes. This situation makes quarantine monitoring particularly challenging.
One of the destroyed commodities was cowhide originating from an area endemic to anthrax. The destruction was conducted to prevent the potential spread of the disease into West Kalimantan.
According to Cicik, strict action is necessary as several neighboring countries are still dealing with diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and the Nipah virus.
Protected Wildlife Handed Over
On the same occasion, officers also handed over protected wildlife to the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA).
The animals consisted of seven green leafbirds and two hummingbirds that had previously been secured during field inspections.
The handover was carried out as part of efforts to protect wildlife and enforce conservation regulations.
Appeal to the Public and Business Operators
Head of the West Kalimantan Quarantine Office, Ferdi, said destruction is the final step after commodities go through a detention process according to legal procedures.
He emphasized that the measure is mandated by law to prevent the entry and spread of zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Ferdi also urged the public and business operators to cooperate by reporting any commodities that will be transported through West Kalimantan.
He noted that quarantine reporting procedures are simple and the costs remain affordable under the applicable non-tax state revenue regulations.
Commitment to Strengthening Quarantine Supervision
The activity concluded with the signing of an official destruction report and the witnessing of the destruction process by relevant parties.
Karantina Kalbar reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening supervision at all seaports, airports, and cross-border posts.
These efforts aim to prevent the entry of illegal commodities that may carry dangerous diseases while protecting public health and biological resources in West Kalimantan.
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