Sidoarjo police seize 3,394 smuggled birds and detain two Vietnamese nationals

Indonesian police have uncovered a smuggling operation involving 3,394 birds in Sidoarjo, East Java. The Bareskrim Polri, working with various agencies, discovered the birds being stored in a house in Kepatihan Village, Tulangan District.

The seized birds consist of three non-endemic species: 444 Hwamei birds (Garrulax canorus), 116 Starling birds (Gracupica nigricollis), and 2,834 Chinese Laughingthrushes (Pterorhinus chinensis). Some of the birds were found dead. The animals were reportedly transported via two trucks and arrived at the storage location on September 28, 2026.

Two Vietnamese nationals, identified as LVT and LN, have been detained. Investigations suggest the birds arrived in Jakarta from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on September 22, 2026, before being moved to Sidoarjo. The suspects face charges for violating Law Number 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fines. Authorities noted the birds lacked the required health certificates and quarantine documentation.