World · East Asia & Pacific · 36 mins ago
About 180,000 Live Lobster Seeds Found in Suitcases at Jakarta Airport
Officials found about 180,000 live lobster seeds in two suitcases at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta.
The bags were headed to Batam on a Super Air Jet flight, and the seeds were packed in 90 plastic bags with oxygen.
Airport security staff spotted unusual contents on an X-ray scan and called quarantine officers, who opened the suitcases and counted the live seeds.
The bags were registered to two passengers, but officers could not find them in the departure lounge; the names recorded were initials HP and PS.
The seizure comes as Indonesia steps up efforts to stop illegal shipments of young lobsters and protect its fishery resources.
A government task force is intended to coordinate enforcement under a presidential regulation issued in 2026.
The suitcases were taken for further handling, and quarantine officials are working with airport police to trace the people listed as their owners.
Authorities found about 180,000 live lobster seeds in two suitcases at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta.
The suitcases were checked in under the names of two passengers, identified by the initials HP and PS, but the passengers were not found in the departure lounge.
The lobster seeds were packed in 90 plastic bags and were due to be flown to Batam on a Super Air Jet flight.
Quarantine officials and airport security discovered the bags during an X-ray inspection at about 6 a.m.
Authorities secured the suitcases and are working with airport police to trace the people listed as their owners.
- Who
- Quarantine officials and airport security found the lobster seeds; the bags were registered to passengers identified as HP and PS.
- What
- About 180,000 live lobster seeds were found in two suitcases.
- When
- At about 6 a.m.; the article was published on November 14, 2026.
- Where
- Terminal 2E at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, near Jakarta.
- Why
- The bags were due to carry the seeds to Batam. The sources do not state why the passengers were not found.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Airport staff spotted unusual contents in the suitcases during an X-ray inspection and contacted quarantine officials.
Officials opened the suitcases and found lobster seeds packed in plastic bags.
Officials secured the suitcases and took them to the Soekarno-Hatta Quarantine Service Unit for counting and further handling.
Quarantine officials coordinated with Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police to investigate the two people listed as the baggage owners.
- Estimated total
- About 180,000 lobster seeds
- Suitcases
- 2, one grey and one blue
- Packaging
- 90 bags, with about 2,000 seeds in each
- Condition
- All the seeds were found alive
- Destination
- Batam, on Super Air Jet flight IU 850
- Passenger initials
- HP and PS
What people are saying
The lobster seeds were placed on gauze-like cloth or aquarium filter material that was kept damp, then rolled up and put into plastic bags with oxygen.
With a total of 90 bags, the number of clear lobster seeds secured is estimated to have reached 180,000. All the seeds were found alive.
The President’s resolve is clear: we must protect lobster seed resources, and departures that do not comply with regulations must be stopped. Therefore, oversight at exit points must be strengthened.
Oversight must not stop at securing the goods. If there is a network behind it, it must be investigated together with law enforcement agencies.