Indonesia, the habitat of hawksbill was known to one of biggest exporter for hawksbill for Japan. Milliken and Tokunaga in their report released by Greenpeace (1990) states that Indonesia is the main supplier of hawksbill carapace for Japan since 1970. Most of the export gate of hawksbill carapace is Makassar Port (previously Ujung Pandang). Greenpeace in 1990 reported there is 14 companies active to collect and export hawksbill carapace.
By listing the hawksbill in appendix I of CITES, the commercial trade of hawksbill and its parts internationally forbidden, except it fulfilled the strict criteria.
ProFauna Indonesia investigation in 2001, more than 10 years after the Greenpeace report show in Makassar there are 2 exporter companies left, namely Mutiara Mas and CV Sumber Nusantara. Those two companies admit they are no longer exporting hawksbill since 1991-1992. At this moment they focus the export on shark fin and other sea harvest.
Although they admit to stop exporting hawksbill carapace to Japan, Mutiara Mas still keep stockpile of hawksbill carapace. ProFauna Indonesia and JWCS success to document the stockpiles although it is only in small number. At least the sea harvest exporter still keeps the hawksbill carapace and it is believed if there is chance to ship it to Japan, the shipment can be granted. This possibility is straightened by the confession the hawksbill collector names Jumain in Poutere who said that he is routinely ships hawksbill carapace to Mutiara Mas. The government officials should investigate deeper on this indication before everything is gone.
The continual production of handicraft using hawksbill carapace in Yogyakarta, Klaten and Makassar must be watched concerning to the big chance of smuggling abroad. Moreover the craftsman such as Darsono admitted to ProFauna Indonesia investigator he also supplies hawksbill products to number of exporters in Bali and Surabaya to export to several countries such as Singapore and Thailand. But it is difficult for the customs officer to differentiate souvenir made from hawksbill or buffalo horn in short time. While on the other hand the document export is written as souvenir made from buffalo horns.