Police Arrest Sumatran Tiger Traffickers In Southwest Aceh

Police show evidence of Sumatran tiger bones that were secured from the perpetrator's hands in Blangpidie, Southwest Aceh, Friday. (ANTARA/Suprian)

BANDA ACEH - The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Southwest Aceh Police (Abdya) thwarted the transaction of buying and selling Sumatran tiger bones and pangolin scales by arresting the three perpetrators of the protected wildlife trade.

Abdya Police Chief, AKBP Muhammad Nasution said the three perpetrators of the trade in tiger bones and pangolin scales were arrested by the police on Tuesday, January 25.

The three perpetrators are YF (46), a resident of Geulumpang Payong Village, Blangpidie District. TN (57) is a resident of Gampong Aur Peulumat, East Labuhan Haji District, South Aceh Regency and SB (49) is a resident of Gampong Lawe Ger-Ger, Ketambe District, Southeast Aceh Regency.

Police Chief AKBP Muhammad Nasution accompanied by Wakapolres Kompol Muhayat said the protected animals that were secured from the hands of the three perpetrators were the bones of a Sumatran tiger (Panthera Tigris Sumatrae) and scales of a pangolin.

"The three perpetrators were arrested thanks to information from the public that they were buying and selling tiger bones and pangolin scales," he said, quoted by Antara, Friday, February 11.

The Satreskrim team coordinated with the Blangpidie Region I National Park Management Section to map out the location where the transactions for the bones of the protected animal were.

"Once there, our team carried out reconnaissance and after the perpetrators entered the location where the transactions were made, we immediately arrested the three perpetrators," said Police Chief Nasution.

From the hands of the three perpetrators, the police secured evidence of 1 set of tiger bones and 343.19 grams of pangolin scales as well as an Innova car used by the three perpetrators.

Police predict the price of the Sumatran tiger bones confiscated from the suspect's hands could reach Rp150 million.

"For this action, the three perpetrators violated Article 21 paragraph 2 letter JO Article 40 paragraph 2 of Law Number 5 of 1990 with a threat of 5 years in prison or a fine of 100 million rupiah," he said.