RRI.CO.ID, Mataram - Authorities in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) have taken decisive action to protect public health by destroying 5.96 tons of undocumented chicken meat intercepted at Lembar Port, West Lombok.

The massive shipment, which originated from East Java, was not only missing mandatory legal certification but was also found to be transported in hazardous conditions, posing a significant biological risk.

In a controlled disposal process on Friday, April 17, 2026, quarantine officials buried the meat and applied bioactivator fluids to accelerate decomposition at the NTB Quarantine office grounds.

As reported by Antara, the seizure underscores a critical failure in logistics and legal compliance. The poultry was discovered inside a truck lacking any refrigeration equipment, with packaging that failed to meet basic technical standards.

Head of NTB Quarantine, Ina Soelistyani, emphasized that quarantine documentation is a vital safeguard for food traceability and public safety, not merely a bureaucratic hurdle.

"Without those documents, the commodity is considered risky because its health and safety status cannot be traced," she said, noting that the shipment was initially flagged by the NTB Water and Air Police Directorate.

The lack of a cold chain was a primary factor in the decision to destroy the cargo. Experts warn that stable storage temperatures are essential to suppress microbial growth in fresh animal products.

Ina Soelistyani explained that the combination of poor packaging and non-standard temperatures during transit creates a high-risk environment for contamination and accelerated spoilage, rendering the food unfit for human consumption.

"Without a consistent cold chain, the risk of contamination, disease threats, and pollutants becomes very high, so food safety is no longer guaranteed," she added.

This enforcement action is rooted in the mandate of the Quarantine Agency as outlined in Law Number 21/2019, which prioritizes food security and the prevention of disease spread. By neutralizing this shipment, authorities prevented potentially contaminated food from entering the local market.

"This is our concrete commitment to maintaining the safety and feasibility of food entering NTB," concluded Ina.

She praised the inter-agency synergy between quarantine officials and the police in monitoring the flow of animal, fish, and plant commodities across the province. ***