The discovery of a Sumatran elephant carcass in Tesso Nilo National\nPark, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency, has uncovered the darker side of\nelephant ivory trade. An investigation by the Riau Regional Police shows\na long-running ivory trafficking route from Sumatra forests that ends in\nSolo, Central Java.<\/p>\n
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan stressed that\nillegal elephant hunting is an extraordinary crime. \u2018I ask the State\nAttorney to press charges against the perpetrators to the maximum,\nbecause this is an ongoing crime,\u2019 he told reporters on Wednesday (4\nMarch 2026). He added that crimes against protected wildlife threaten\necosystems and that authorities will crack down on any crime against\nprotected wildlife without compromise. \u2018We must protect Riau\u2019s forests,\nprotect wildlife, and uphold the law without compromise,\u2019 he\ninsisted.<\/p>\n
Illegal Elephant Hunting<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Director of Criminal Investigation and General Crimes for\nthe Riau Regional Police, Kombes Ade Kuncoro, explained that the male\nelephant, about 40 years old, was believed to have died about two weeks\nbefore it was found on 2 February 2026. Necropsy results showed the\nelephant died from gunshot wounds. \u2018The wound pattern and tusk loss\nindicate illegal hunting,\u2019 said Kombes Ade Kuncoro.<\/p>\n
A joint team comprising the Ditreskrimsus (Criminal Investigation),\nDitreskrimum (General Crimes) of the Riau Regional Police, and\nSatreskrim of Pelalawan Police conducted scientific crime investigation\nby combining scene processing, necropsy, digital forensics analysis, GPS\ncollar data, and ballistic testing at a forensic laboratory. The team\nfinally obtained information about the suspects.<\/p>\n
From the investigation, the Riau Police arrested 15 suspects at\nseveral locations with various roles, including elephant shooters,\nfinanciers, tusk traders, and even a cigarette-pipe seller. Three other\nsuspects were listed as Wanted Persons (DPO).<\/p>\n
The investigation revealed the ivory trade route from Tesso Nilo to\nSolo. The route unfolded as follows, according to Kombes Ade\nKuncoro:<\/p>\n
From Riau to Padang<\/p>\n
The Sumatra elephant was killed by suspects with the initials AN\n(DPO) and his associate RA on 25 January 2026. The elephant was shot\ntwice in the head. After the elephant died, the two suspects cut off\npart of the elephant\u2019s head with an axe and knife. This activity\ncontinued until approximately 21:00 WIB.<\/p>\n
\u2018At around 21:00, suspect RA contacted FA, the financier, and asked\nhim to collect the ivory weighing 7.6 kilograms,\u2019 said Kombes Ade\nKuncoro.<\/p>\n
Two days later, on 27 January 2026, suspect FA collected the ivory\nfrom Kecamatan Pangkalan Lesung, Pelalawan Regency. There he paid Rp 30\nmillion to suspect RA. \u2018At the request of HY, suspect FA then cut the\nivory into four pieces in HY\u2019s yard,\u2019 he added. FA then sent the four\nivory pieces to suspect HY using a Pekanbaru-based travel service. FA\nearned Rp 76 million.<\/p>\n
From Padang to Jakarta and Surabaya<\/p>\n
The ivory package arrived in Padang, West Sumatra on 29 January 2026.\nIt was offered to suspect AR at Rp 94,875,000 and AB assisted in sending\nthe package by air cargo from Padang airport to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\u2018On 30 January 2026, after receiving the ivory package, under AR\u2019s\ninstruction TI (a witness) sent the package to AC\u2019s address in Surabaya\nby railway cargo,\u2019 he said. In Surabaya, the ivory was documented before\nbeing sold back to ME in Jakarta for Rp 117,645,000 in early February\n2026.<\/p>\n
Illegal downstream in Solo<\/p>\n
The ivory\u2019s journey ended in Solo, Central Java. On 6 February 2026,\nsuspect ME took the ivory to Kudus to sell to SA for Rp 125,235,000.\nFrom SA, the goods moved to JS in Sukoharjo, then to HA. At the apex,\nthe ivory was handed to RB (DPO) in Solo to be produced into high-value\nitems. Investigations show the ivory was processed into 10\ncigarette-pipe pieces.<\/p>\n
On 19 February 2026, HA took the finished product and sold 10 ivory\ncigarette-pipe pieces to JS for Rp 10,700,000 on Jalan Veteran, Solo.\nInvestigations show the intermediaries earned varying profits, with\nretailers possibly making Rp 200,000 to Rp 500,000 per pipe.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ivorysales-route-from-tesso-nilo-ends-in-solo-1772607645", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }