South Sumatra Police Unload Illegal Muara Crocodile Breeding In OKI

The South Sumatra Police dismantled an illegal estuarine crocodile breeding area in Laut Village, Sirah Pulau Padang District, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra. Antara/HO/ist.

South Sumatra Regional Police (Polda) have dismantled an illegal estuarine crocodile breeding place in Laut Village, Sirah Pulau Padang District, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra.

Wadir Ditreskrimsus Polda Sumsel AKBP Putu Yudha Prawira said he found the 58 estuarine-type crocodiles that were protected and managed to catch three residents suspected of being guards in each captivity area, they were A (73), S (48) and SM (43) who were residents of Sirah Pulau Padang sub-district, OKI Regency, South Sumatra.

He explained that the discovery of the illegal crocodile breeding place was due to reports from local residents who complained that they were afraid that the crocodile would be released and could attack residents.

"We together with the South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) dismantled the illegal crocodile breeding site on August 22, 2023. Initially, the surrounding community felt uneasy about the existence of the estuarine crocodile breeding location and found that this crocodile breeding did not have an official permit," he explained as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, August 25.

According to him, the suspect told the police that each of them had a crocodile of different numbers and was in three different locations. Suspect S kept as many as 11 crocodiles, SM kept 34 crocodiles, and suspect A kept 13 tails.

He revealed that the suspect did not know whether the crocodiles would later be sold or not because the crocodile was entrusted by someone with the initials B and had died. The illegal crocodile breeding has been running for the last nine years and the three suspects are only workers.

"The suspect gets a salary of Rp. 3 million per month to take care of the crocodile, and at this time they don't know where the crocodile will be taken, they only care for and paid for," he said.

For this action, the three suspects were subject to Article 40 paragraph 2 Jo Article 21 paragraph 2 letter A of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems with the threat of 5 years in prison and / or a fine worth Rp. 100 million.