Tangerang, Banten, Oct. 16 -- Indonesian customs officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, have thwarted an attempt to smuggle baby lobsters worth Rp5.17 billion ($325,000) to Singapore, officials said on Thursday.

Four suspects, identified as MR (38), PA (46), SA (36), and DO (26), were arrested. Officers seized eight suitcases containing 172 packages of lobster seeds, totaling 172,611 specimens.

"The operation began with intelligence from our analysis team, which suspected lobster seeds were being smuggled in passenger luggage," said Gatot Sugeng Wibowo, head of the Soekarno-Hatta Customs Office.

A joint team flagged eight suspicious bags checked for AirAsia flight QZ-264 from Jakarta to Singapore. Inside...