Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has saved the state Rp4.48 billion (US$258 thousand) in potential losses from suspected illegal frozen fish imports through Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta.The ministry’s Director of Fisheries Resources Supervision, Halid K. Jusuf, said on Tuesday that the figure resulted from monitoring the importation of fishery commodities that lacked the required import permits and official recommendations.“The state losses prevented from handling this case amount to approximately Rp4.48 billion,” he said at a press conference.According to Jusuf, the figure includes fiscal losses, potential market disruptions, and downstream impacts on the domestic fisheries sector, particularly fishermen and law-abiding fisheries businesses.He explained that the seized commodities consisted of frozen Pacific mackerel, totaling 99,972 kilograms, or nearly 100 tons, which entered Indonesia through the Tanjung Priok Container Terminal.“The entry of imported fish without proper registration can suppress prices of small pelagic fish and directly harm fishermen and fisheries businesses that operate in accordance with regulations,” he noted.Jusuf said the case was handled after the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision received a public complaint in early January 2026 and immediately coordinated with Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise.The supervision effort resulted in the seizure of four containers as a preventive measure to stop the commodities from circulating in the domestic market without oversight.In addition to preventing potential state losses, the ministry also imposed administrative sanctions in the form of fines on the businesses involved.“The administrative fine imposed amounts to approximately Rp1 billion (US$57,600) as part of law enforcement to create a deterrent effect,” he said.Jusuf added that administrative sanctions are considered more effective because they directly affect business operations while still allowing companies to maintain employment.Regarding the seized goods, the ministry recommended that the Indonesian Quarantine Agency take quarantine measures, including re-exportation to the country of origin or destruction, in accordance with prevailing regulations.He emphasized that the enforcement action is part of the government’s broader effort to maintain stability in the national fisheries market while protecting fishermen and the domestic fishing industry from illegal fish imports.