Authorities arrested a Chinese national and his Filipino aide for allegedly operating a lobster farm without permits in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) said Friday.

On March 4, 2025, a day after World Wildlife Day was celebrated, PCSD, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, discovered the farm holding around 1,500 tiger lobsters, or Panulirus Ornatus, a species of high economic value.

PCSD said the facility was also built using about 20,000 board feet of Apitong, or Dipterocapus grandiflorus, an endangered tree species.

The lumber seized is estimated to be worth P29 million, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO).

Authorities have filed charges against the suspects for illegal possession of wildlife under RA 9147 and illegal logging under PD 705.