Elephant Poaching Syndicate Arrested Since 2024; Modus Operandi Involved Shooting and Ivory Sales
The Riau Regional Police have exposed a wildlife poaching syndicate that has caused the deaths of nine elephants from 2024 to 2026, with the most recent elephant found with its head severed in Pelalawan Regency.
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan stated during a press conference in Pekanbaru on Tuesday that the investigation initially focused on an elephant death discovered on 2 February 2026, but subsequently revealed this criminal activity had occurred repeatedly rather than as isolated incidents.
“We uncovered the case from 2 February, but it turned out this syndicate had already committed eight elephant deaths since 2024. In 2024 and 2025, all cases involved shooting. Skeletal remains were still found at the crime scenes,” he said.
The Kapolda revealed that the syndicate operated according to a consistent criminal pattern: shooting the elephants, then extracting their tusks for sale through numerous intermediaries.
Special Criminal Investigation Director of Riau Police Major Commissioner Ade Kuncoro detailed the nine elephant deaths. The first involved two elephants killed at two separate crime scenes in February 2024 in Bagan Limau Village, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency.
One elephant followed in December 2024 at Barak Kundur in the Industrial Timber Plantation Forest Area, Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui District. Then, one each occurred at Barak Kundur in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village and the Arara Abadi area in Kesuma Village in June 2025.
In July 2025, one elephant was killed at Sungai Bambu in the PT RAPP area, also in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village. Another followed in August 2025 at Sungai Bambu in the PT RAPP area in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui District.
Subsequently, in September 2025, one elephant was killed at Barak Kundur in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, and most recently in February 2026 in a PT RAPP concession area, also in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village.
For these cases, Riau Police have named 15 suspects in roles ranging from execution to brokerage of the goods. The poaching operations were coordinated from Riau, Padang, Jakarta, Surabaya, Solo, and Kudus, with three individuals still at large.