Police Hunt For Suppliers Of Rare Animals To Craftsmen In Jember

Jember Police Chief AKBP Hery Purnomo shows evidence that was secured from the hands of the MMR suspect during a press conference held at the Jember Police Headquarters (Photo:Antara)

JAKARTA - The Jember Resort Police is hunting for a supplier of raw materials for protected rare animals to a craftsman with the initials MMR who has been arrested at his home in Tembokrejo Village, Jember Regency, East Java.

"Officers are currently hunting for someone who plays a role in supplying protected wildlife to MMR," said Jember Police Chief AKBP Hery Purnomo as quoted by Antara, Thursday.

The Jember Police is also trying to uncover the network of wild animal hunters that are protected by law in Jember Regency, even though the suspect's confession that the raw materials for wild animals were obtained from the island of Sumatra.

"The results of the investigator's examination were based on the suspect's confession that the preserved animals came from protected forests in Sumatra. However, there could be some that came from the forests around Jember," he said.

The Jember Police Cyber Patrol Team found that MMR was selling art objects made from endangered wildlife. The person concerned plays a role in processing protected animals to be made into crafts such as bags and belts that use the skin or heads of protected animals.

"The handicrafts made are sold through social media to buyers, even some items which are under investigation revealed to have been ordered and paid for, but have not yet been sent to buyers," he said.

He explained that officers are also hunting for buyers or those who collect objects made of protected and endangered animals because the law states that the article is clear because it does not only sell but also whoever keeps it.

"If the elements are met, then buyers of handicrafts from protected rare animals will also be charged with criminal articles," he said.

MMR suspects will be charged with Article 40 paragraph 2 in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph 2 of Law Number 45 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Natural, Biological and Ecosystem Resources, as well as Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number 106 of 2018 concerning Types of Plants and Animals Protected by The threat is imprisonment for 5 years and a maximum fine of Rp. 100 million.

Some of the items secured by investigators were a deer's head with a neck and two relatively intact bodies of deer that had been preserved, then a leopard skin and several bags and belts made from tiger and leopard skins.