The arrests were made in Sukabumi district, West Java.
In a statement released on Wednesday, director general of forestry law enforcement at the ministry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, informed that crimes related to the trade of protected plants and wildlife (TSL) are considered transnational crimes.
Illegal TSL trade has the fourth-largest turnover in the world after narcotics, illegal firearms, and human trafficking, he said.
"Therefore, we formed a special team for transnational forestry and wildlife crimes and a special team for money laundering (TPPU) for law enforcement against these crimes, along with collaboration with law enforcement agencies both domestically and abroad," he revealed.
According to Nugroho, his party is continuing to uncover protected TSL crime cases by collaborating with domestic ministries/institutions and foreign institutions, including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
In the same statement, the ministry's director of forestry criminal enforcement, Rudianto Saragih Napitu, said that his office will continue its investigation to uncover the network of the trade practice, both domestically and abroad.
His party picked up two persons, identified by the initials BH and NJ, on March 18, 2025, in Sukabumi in connection with the case.
His team also secured body parts of protected wildlife, including 70 skulls belonging to primates such as orangutans, macaques, and monkeys; 6 hornbill beaks; 2 bear skulls; 2 hog deer skulls; 8 bear claws; 2 shark teeth; and 4 civet skulls.
Napitu informed that the case was detected based on information provided by the USFWS regarding the confiscation of a shipment of protected TSL from Indonesia in the United States around two weeks ago.
Based on the information, BH and NJ were arrested. They admitted they had been carrying out the illegal trade for one year and had made more than 10 transactions in the United States and the United Kingdom.
They are now facing penalties related to forestry crimes, namely "storing, possessing, transporting, and/or trading specimens, parts, or goods made from parts of protected animals" as referred to in Article 40A paragraph (1) Letter f Jo Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems.
They could be awarded a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum fine of Rp5 billion (US$295 thousand).
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Primayanti
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