Online Sales Of Dozens Of Parts Of The Protected Animal Body Thwarted By The Ministry Of Transportation, 2 Perpetrators Of Sukabumi Residents

The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) succeeded in thwarting online trading of dozens of body parts of protected animals abroad including the United States (US) in Sukabumi Regency, West Java. From this operation, two perpetrators were arrested.

Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement (Gakkum) Dwi Januanto Nugroho stated that crime related to wild plants and animals (TSL) is a cross-border crime and is one of the fourth-largest turnover crimes in the world after drug crimes, illegal firearms and human trafficking.

"From this disclosure, we know that the hunt for TSL such as orangutans is still happening, therefore the Directorate General of Gakumhut has formed a Special Transnational Team for Forestry and Wildlife Crimes and a Special Money Laundry Special Team (TPPU) so that we will enforce the law to the benefits of owners and collaboration with other law enforcement institutions both domestically and abroad," he said in a statement in Jakarta, Wednesday, March 19, confiscated by Antara.

He said the Directorate General of Gakkum Kemenhut was committed to uncovering cases of TSL crimes protected by collaborating with domestic ministries/agencies and foreign institutions such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

In a similar statement, Rudianto Saragih Napitu as Director of Forestry Crime Enforcement said that his party would continue to deepen and develop to uncover the network of trade in protected wildlife parts, both domestically and abroad.

"This is a form of the government's commitment to protecting Indonesia's biological natural resources, especially plants and wildlife that are protected from various threats and crimes," he said.

Rudianto explained that the Directorate General of Gakkum Kemenhut managed to secure the perpetrator with the initials BH who was 32 years old acting as the owner and 23-year-old NJ who acted as a seller abroad on March 18 in Sukabumi Regency.

It was also secured by parts of the protected wild animal in the form of 70 primate skulls such as orangutans, monkey and monkeys, 6 hornbill beaks, 2 bear skulls, 2 deer pig skulls, 8 bear nails, 2 shark teeth and 4 civet skulls.

Rudianto explained that the disclosure of the case of the circulation of protected animal parts began with information from USFWS about the confiscation of protected TSL shipments from Indonesia in the United States about 2 weeks ago.

This information was then followed up by the Cyber Patrol Team of the Directorate General of Law and Human Rights at the Ministry of Transportation and managed to track down the sales account.

Furthermore, the Ditjen Gakkum Kemenhut Team conducted a TSL Circulation Operation that was protected by law and succeeded in arresting 2 perpetrators. Based on information from the perpetrators, the person concerned has been buying and selling for 1 year and has made more than 10 transactions to the United States and the United Kingdom.

For their actions, the perpetrators will undergo a series of investigation and investigation activities by the Civil Servant Investigator (PPNS) of the Directorate General of Forestry Gakkum.

The perpetrators face criminal penalties under allegations of forestry crimes, namely "storeing, possessing, transporting, and/or trading specimens, parts, or items made from parts of protected animals" as referred to in Article 40A paragraph (1) Letter f Jo Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c of Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems.

They are threatened with a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum fine of IDR 5 billion.