JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry together with the National Police and TNI searched a wildlife warehouse in Bekasi, West Java and found 11 green snakes (Morelia viridis) that were protected, as part of the development of a network of smuggling wildlife abroad.
Director of Criminal Forestry Enforcement of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rudianto Saragih Napitu, explained that the Directorate General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Home Affairs together with the DKI Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Korwas PPNS Bareskrim Polri, Baintelkam Polri, and Puspom TNI carried out the search as part of the development of the case of alleged smuggling of 103 reptiles through Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
"From the processing of digital forensic data and witness statements, investigators obtained clues regarding the alleged location of the purchase, collection, and packaging of the animals before being taken to the airport. The smuggling modus operandi through the baggage suitcase is a serious concern, because the protected animals are disguised as baggage to leave Indonesia," said Rudianto as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 4.
He said two foreign nationals from the Netherlands and Lithuania suspected of carrying 103 reptiles from Indonesia abroad through the luggage suitcase had been named as suspects and were currently still being sought by officers.
Investigators are still investigating the alleged involvement of parties who control the warehouse with the two foreign suspects, including the route of obtaining the animals, the packaging process, the liaison parties, and the possibility of the involvement of other parties in the smuggling plan.
The development was carried out so that the handling of cases would not stop at prevention at the airport, but also touched the chain of procurement and preparation of animals before being sent abroad.
"Two foreign suspects have been included in the wanted list. We are coordinating with the Dutch Embassy, the representative of Lithuania, Interpol, and related agencies to support the search for suspects. We continue to develop this matter to uncover the illegal trade network of protected animals, including those who collect, pack, send, control, or profit from smuggling," he said.
For their actions, the suspects are threatened with a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 10 years in prison, as well as a minimum of category IV and a maximum of category VI fines.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said that the case showed that the trade in protected wildlife had moved as a transnational crime that must be stopped from the start.
"The Forestry Agency strengthens wildlife law enforcement by closing illegal hunting, shelter, and shipping spaces, as well as strengthening cooperation with law enforcement agencies, transportation authorities, and international networks," said Dwi Januanto.
He reminded that efforts to prevent the trade in wild animals and plants are not the work of one institution alone.
For this reason, local governments, area managers, business actors, delivery services, communities, and the public need to help keep protected animals alive in the wild. Ensuring that native Indonesian animals do not become a commodity for the illegal foreign market.
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