Banyuwangi. Police in the East Java regency of Banyuwangi raided a dog shelter on Saturday, arresting two men for further interrogation and uncovering a facility that sold dog meat.

The operation was launched following a report by a Surabaya-based dog lovers' association, which had discovered that numerous stray dogs from Bali were being transported to Banyuwangi.

The association conducted an independent investigation, tracking a truck carrying the dogs from Bali to a hidden dog farm in Cluring district, Banyuwangi. They then filed a police complaint, according to 1st Sub-Inspector Edi Slamet.

During the raid, police found at least 64 dogs, allegedly taken from Bali's Kintamani area, held at the shelter. Preliminary investigations revealed that the dogs were destined to be sold for their meat in the Central Java town of Solo, Edi said.

"The shelter is located within a densely populated residential area, surrounded by paddy fields and a public cemetery," Edi added. Surprisingly, neighbors were unaware of the illegal dog farm’s existence.

The shelter's owner, 53-year-old Sarmuji, has been detained for questioning. According to Edi, the facility had been operating for approximately a year.

While dog consumption is uncommon in Indonesia, there is no law explicitly prohibiting it. In certain towns, a few food stalls openly serve dog meat, often at prices higher than more conventional dishes.

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