West Sumatra Police And BKSDA Arrest Sellers Of Hundreds Of Protected Animals

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

PADANG - The West Sumatra Regional Police (Polda) together with the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) arrested MIH (27) who is suspected of selling hundreds of protected animals alive.

The Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Police Kombes Satake Bayu Setianto accompanied by the Head of the West Sumatra BKSDA Ardi Andono said the MIH perpetrator was arrested Monday (7/3), at 22.30 WIB, at his residence at Balai Nan Tuo Housing, Padang Tangah Payobadar Village, Payakumbuh City.

The evidence seized was six manouria emys or brown baning (turtles) and 350 Sarettochelys insculpta or pig-nosed labi-labi alive.

In addition, officers secured a smartphone unit belonging to the perpetrator.

The arrest of the perpetrator began with information from the public regarding the activities of catching, injuring, killing, storing, possessing, maintaining, transporting, and trading protected animals alive.

The Joint Team for the Ditreskrimsus Polda of West Sumatra and the Gakkum BKSDA of West Sumatra Province moved to follow up on this information by enforcing the law against the perpetrators.

"At around 22.00 WIB, officers found the residence of the suspect MIH and officers found several protected wild animals," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, March 9.

The perpetrators and evidence were brought to the West Sumatra Police for safekeeping and further investigation, he said.

This is done by the perpetrators to trade protected animals in a state of life illegally. The perpetrator violated Article 40 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems.

"The perpetrators are threatened with a maximum imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of Rp. 100 million," he said.