Bali Authorities Intercept Illegal Trade of 21 Protected Green Sea Turtles

DENPASAR, Indonesia — Law enforcement officials in Bali successfully intercepted an illegal trafficking attempt involving 21 protected green sea turtles last week, authorities announced on Friday.

The seizure occurred during a police raid on the island’s Pegametan coast on June 10, following reports from local residents regarding suspicious activity in the area, according to Nanang Pri Hasmojo, head of law enforcement for the Bali police.

A 67-year-old man, identified by the initials KS, was taken into custody. He is suspected of acting as a middleman, storing the protected marine animals prior to their distribution for sale.

Preliminary interrogations revealed that the suspect allegedly received the turtles on the beach from an associate operating near Madura, an island in East Java province. The animals were reportedly intended to be collected by another individual for further resale.

“We are continuing to investigate the case and pursuing other suspects involved in the network,” Hasmojo stated. The suspect faces charges under Indonesia’s wildlife protection laws, which carry penalties of up to 15 years in prison and substantial fines upon conviction.

Sea turtle species have been legally protected in Indonesia under conservation and fisheries laws since 1990. A 2018 regulation from the Environment Ministry further strengthened protections for the six sea turtle species inhabiting Indonesian waters, with government mandates strictly prohibiting their trade.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the poaching of turtle eggs by organized criminal networks and local communities remains a primary driver of a global crisis that has pushed six of the world’s seven sea turtle species into threatened categories.

A 2022 study by researchers at Arizona State University, published in Global Change Biology, estimated that over 1.1 million sea turtles were killed between 1990 and 2020. This mortality was largely driven by the demand for meat, alleged aphrodisiacs, and use in various traditional or spiritual practices.

The study noted that the green turtle, or Chelonia mydas, accounted for 56% of all sea turtle deaths during the 30-year period ending in 2020.

Historically, Bali served as a significant hub for green turtle trafficking, partly due to the traditional use of turtle meat in religious offerings within Balinese Hinduism, the island’s predominant faith.

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