Selling Animals Protected By Owa Java, 2 Men Arrested By The Bogor Police

Disclosure of cases of wildlife sales at the Bogor Police Headquarters, Cibinong, Bogor Regency, West Java, Friday (4/11/2022). (ANTARA/HO)

Bogor Police, West Java, arrested two suspects with the initials MM (32) and SU (28) for trying to sell wild animals protected by gibbons (hylobates moloch). "From the confessions of the suspects that the sale of these endangered animals has been carried out several times. Until now, we are still processing further investigations," said Bogor Police Chief AKBP Iman Imanuddin during a press conference at his office, Cibinong, Bogor, Antara, Friday, November 4. The arrests of the two suspects began when the Bogor Police Satreskrim received information from activists who loved protected wildlife regarding the sale of a Javanese gibbon on October 26, 2022. At that time, at around 15.00 WIB, the Bogor Police Satreskrim Team moved to the location of the sale of a Javanese gibbon in the Sentul City area, Bogor Regency. About an hour later, the suspect MM came riding a motorcycle carrying a box package containing a Javanese gibbon. "We have made an appointment to meet and transact with someone. However, we managed to secure it along with evidence of Javanese gibbon that was about to be sold," said Iman. Iman said that at that time MM claimed to have received a Javanese Owa from suspect SU. MM admitted that SU was ordered to take the Javanese gibbon at the Baranangsiang Terminal which was deposited on a bus and then delivered to a potential buyer in the Sentul City area. "We then arrested SU in Cianjur, then taken to the Bogor Police Headquarters for further questioning," he explained. Iman said SU claimed to have received the Javanese gibbon from an unknown person through the Pasuruan Primata Lovers Group social media account at a price of Rp. 3.6 million and will be resold at a price of Rp. 5 million. "Currently, the Javanese gibbon has been secured at the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA)," said Iman. For their actions, MM and SU were charged with Article 21 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 40 of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems in conjunction with Regulations of the Minister of Environment and Forestry concerning Plants and Animals Protected by the threat of imprisonment of 5 years and a fine of Rp. 100 million.