Coordinated Police sweep saves 86 turtles

DENPASAR (indo.com): A joint police action involving Bali's police, water police and air surveillance teams resulted in the confiscation of a ship full of protected turtles and the arrest of 5 sailors early on the morning of Friday, October 22, 2004.

The ship was sailing from Sulawesi and the 86 protected green turtles were found on board when the police moved in and arrested. The Captain of the ship and all his crews were also arrested.

Bali Discovery reported that Bali's Police Chief, Irjen Pol. Drs. Made Mangku Pastika called on the police to take firmer actions against illegal turtle trade in Bali to end the island's negative reputation as a center for illegal turtle trade.

To strengthen his commitment, Pastika joined tourists and members of the local community on Kuta beach on Friday releasing many of the endanger green turtles to their habitat in the oceans.

The illegal green turtles trading conducted by smuggling still rampant because
it is a lucrative business, said a fisherman from Serangan Island in an interview with indo.com at Benoa Harbour.