Indonesian authorities thwart alleged bird smuggling attempt

JAKARTA, July 20 (Xinhua): Indonesian authorities have arrested two men allegedly involved in an attempt to smuggle around 1,700 birds which they caught in the natural habitat in Riau province on Sumatra island, an official said on Monday.

A joint team comprising personnel from the Environment Ministry and the provincial police tracked down a suspect allegedly smuggling the birds in a van and a bus on Tuesday last week after receiving reports from local people, head of the ministry's law enforcement center for the Sumatra region, Eduward Hutapea said.