Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Indonesian Navy, in coordination with Forestry Law Enforcement authorities, thwarted an attempt to smuggle 74 tons of mangrove charcoal at Pier 210 of Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, on Wednesday, 28 January 2026. The operation was conducted by Naval Regional Command (Kodaeral) III together with the Naval Intelligence Task Force of the Navy Intelligence Center and a joint inter-agency team.
The joint operation involved personnel from port security (KP3), the Ministry of Forestry, Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise, PT Pelindo, the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), quarantine authorities, and the Armed Forces Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais TNI). The interdiction followed intelligence findings indicating the loading of mangrove charcoal at Tirta Ria Port, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan, on 21 January 2026.
Intelligence monitoring detected the transfer of approximately 400 sacks of mangrove charcoal from the wooden vessel KM Surya Jaya 1 into two 40-foot containers. The cargo was scheduled to be transported to Jakarta aboard the vessel ICON JAMES II 13. Based on this information, the joint team conducted on-site action upon the vessel’s arrival and docking at Pier 210, Tanjung Priok.
Initial handling began at 01:30 local time, followed by further inspection at 08:45, when the two containers suspected of carrying mangrove charcoal without valid quarantine documents or forestry permits were unloaded and moved to Field 218. A full inspection conducted at 11:15 confirmed that both containers contained mangrove charcoal with a total estimated weight of approximately 74 tons.
Authorities estimated that the illegal shipment caused state losses of around IDR 1.7 billion. From an ecological perspective, the charcoal production was believed to have originated from the logging of approximately 1,400 to 1,500 mature mangrove trees, posing serious threats to coastal ecosystems.
Commander of Kodaeral III, Rear Admiral Kuspardja, stated that the successful operation reflected heightened vigilance and strong inter-agency synergy in safeguarding maritime sovereignty and protecting coastal environments. He emphasized that the Indonesian Navy remains committed to preventing maritime violations, noting that illegal forest product smuggling undermines the state and endangers coastal ecosystems.
In a separate statement, Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto Nugroho underscored that the coordinated action demonstrated the government’s firm commitment to protecting natural resources from illegal exploitation. He confirmed that all seized evidence had been secured and handed over to forestry law enforcement authorities for further legal processing, while investigations would continue to identify the intellectual actors behind the operation.
Dwi Januanto further warned that large-scale mangrove logging carries far-reaching consequences, including increased coastal abrasion, declining fish stocks, threats to the livelihoods of coastal communities, and heightened risks of ecological disasters. He stressed that mangroves serve as natural coastal barriers, marine habitats, and critical buffers for sustainable coastal economies. (*)
