Indonesia Busts Illegal Trade of Protected Animal Parts, Arrests Two

TheIndonesia.co - Acting on a tip, Indonesia's Forestry Ministry has successfully intercepted an illegal online trade involving the body parts of protected animals, which were being smuggled overseas, including to the United States. Two individuals were arrested in Sukabumi district, West Java, in connection with the crime.

According to Antara News Agency, in a statement released on Wednesday, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, the Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement at the ministry, highlighted the gravity of transnational wildlife crimes. He explained that the illegal trade of protected plants and wildlife (TSL) ranks as the fourth-largest illicit trade globally, following narcotics, illegal firearms, and human trafficking.

"To combat this, we've established specialized teams for transnational forestry and wildlife crimes, as well as for money laundering (TPPU), working closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies," Nugroho said.

The ministry is continuing to investigate and uncover more cases of illegal TSL trade by collaborating with other Indonesian ministries and international bodies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Rudianto Saragih Napitu, Director of Forestry Criminal Enforcement, emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, aiming to dismantle the entire network involved in the illegal trade. The arrested individuals, identified by the initials BH and NJ, were detained on March 18, 2025, in Sukabumi. Authorities also seized various body parts of protected wildlife, including 70 primate skulls, hornbill beaks, bear skulls, hog deer skulls, bear claws, shark teeth, and civet skulls.

This case was first uncovered after USFWS informed Indonesian authorities about the confiscation of a shipment containing protected animal parts from Indonesia that arrived in the United States two weeks earlier. BH and NJ confessed to having engaged in the illegal trade for a year, making over ten transactions to buyers in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The suspects now face charges related to the illegal trade, including storing, possessing, transporting, and/or trading specimens of protected animals. They could face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to Rp5 billion (US$295,000) under Indonesia's 2024 amendments to the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems Law.