North Sumatra's police force seized 416 horseshoe crabs at the residence of illegal wildlife smugglers on March 12.

Horseshoe crabs are a protected animal in Indonesia the animal's blood is often used as an endotoxin testing material.

The Special Criminal Directorate of the North Sumatra Regional Police in collaboration with the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) succeeded in thwarting the trade in protected animals in the form of Belangkas, from the waters of Labu Beach, Deliserdang Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, Thursday 12 March 2020.

A total of 416 large Belangkas tails with the Latin name Tachypleus Gigas were secured by police officers from the residence of the perpetrators. This animal is thought to be traded.

It is known that Belangkas is one of the protected animals and ordinary Belangkas blood extract is often used as an endotoxin testing material and diagnoses meningitis and gonorrhoea diseases.

Even in continental Europe and the Asian continent Belangkas is used as an anti-toxin serum. Whereas in the neighboring country of Malaysia Belangkas is used as a culinary meal whose price is quite fantastic.

Interview: Adjunct Senior Commissioner of Police Bagus Suropratomo / Deputy Director of Special Criminal Regional Police

Currently the police are pursuing the perpetrators who have fled when the officers confiscated evidence.

The perpetrators are threatened with article 40 paragraph 2 juncto article 21 paragraph 2 of the law of the Republic of Indonesia number 5 of 1990, concerning the conservation of living natural resources and its ecosystems.

Video: Jon NST / Opn Images