Five Facts in the Headless Sumatran Elephant Case Uncovered by Riau Police
The discovery of a headless Sumatran elephant in the PT RAPP Distrik Ukui concession area, Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency, has finally been explained. The elephant, aged about 40, was found by residents on Monday (2 February 2026) with its face, trunk, and two tusks missing. A necropsy found two bullet projectiles in the back of the skull, indicating that the animal named Elephas maximus Sumatr Anus was killed by gunfire.
Following a series of scientific crime investigations, the Riau Regional Police (Polda Riau) ultimately captured the executor and the ivory trafficker. In total, 15 suspects were arrested and three others are on the wanted list (DPO).
Head of Public Relations of Polri, Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, said that the disclosure of this case, which involved hunting of protected wildlife, demonstrates the commitment of the Chief of Police (Kapolri) General Listyo Sigit Prabowo to protecting the environment and protected wildlife in Indonesia.
“As the leader of the police force, the Kapolri is committed to protecting the environment and living ecosystems, including protected wildlife,” he said at the Riau Police Headquarters in Pekanbaru, on Tuesday (3 March).
Johnny Isir expressed the Kapolri’s hope that the revelation of the headless Sumatran elephant case would become a momentum to strengthen collaboration among all parties to protect wildlife and protected flora.
Meanwhile, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni conveyed appreciation to the Police and Polda Riau for solving this case. Raja Juli stated that elephants are among the species most loved by President Prabowo Subianto.
“This brutal and illegal practice is regrettable and still occurring. On the other hand, we know that the Sumatran elephant is among the species most loved by President Prabowo Subianto,” Raja Juli said at a press conference at the Riau Police Headquarters.
During the event, Raja Juli also awarded the Riau Police Chief, Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan, Director of Special Criminal Investigation, Kombes Ade Kuncoro Wahyu, Director of General Criminal Investigation, Kombes Hasyim Risahondua, and Pelalawan Regent AKBP John Louis Letedara.
- Polda Riau Arrests 15 Suspects
The Riau Regional Police arrested 15 suspects and named three others on the wanted list in the headless Sumatran elephant case in Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency. Among the 15 suspects, one is the principal suspect identified by the initials FA (62), who played a major role in the trade of elephants and other wildlife in Indonesia.
The Riau Police Chief, Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan, said the suspects hunted the Sumatran elephant to obtain and sell its tusks.
“In the case construction, FA acted as the financier, ivory receiver, ammunition owner, and ivory cutter,” Irjen Herry Heryawan said at a press conference at the Riau Police Headquarters on Tuesday (3 February).
8 Suspects from Pelalawan and West Sumatra networks:
RA (31), role: cut off elephant head and owner of a handmade pistol, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga on 18 February 2026
JM (44), role: shooter, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga on 19 February 2026
SM (41), role: guide and owner of handmade pistol, arrested in Bagan Limau on 19 February 2026
FA (62), role: financier, ivory receiver, ammunition owner and ivory cutter, arrested in Simalinyang Village, Kampar Kiri Tengah on 19 February 2026
HY (74), role: ivory receiver and intermediary in ivory transactions, held in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra on 19 February 2026
AB (56), role: courier, arrested in Padang, West Sumatra on 19 February 2026
LK (43), role: gun seller, arrested in Lirik Village, Lirik District, Indragiri Hulu on 20 February 2026
SL (43), role: intermediary in gun sales, arrested in Ukui District, Pelalawan on 20 February 2026.
7 Suspects from outside the region:
AR (39), role: ivory transaction intermediary, arrested in Surabaya on 22 February 2026
AC (40), role: ivory transaction intermediary, arrested in Surabaya on 22 February 2026
FS (43), role: financier and ivory receiver, arrested in Surabaya on 22 February 2026
ME (49), role: ivory transaction intermediary, arrested in Jakarta on 22 February 2026
SA (39), role: ivory transaction intermediary, arrested in Kudus on 23 February 2026
JS (47), role: ivory transaction intermediary and receiver of ivory cigarette pipes, arrested in Solo on 23 February 2026
HA (42), role: ivory transaction intermediary and ivory cigarette pipe distributor, arrested in Solo on 23 February 2026
Separately, the Polda Riau has named three suspects on the wanted list (DPO): AN, GL, and RB. They are alleged to have acted as shooters, head-cutters and ivory receivers.
- The Principal Actors in the Wildlife Crime Network
Irjen Herry said that FA is the main actor who connected field executors with the cross-provincial trafficking network. Investigations show that the tusks had changed hands several times before being processed into ivory cigarette pipes.
“From this point, distribution continued via a number of intermediaries to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Central Java, with the transaction value rising to more than Rp125 million,” Herry said.
In addition to the ivory cigarette pipes, the Riau Police also seized 140 kilograms of pangolin scales, tiger claws, and tiger teeth. The seizure serves as strong evidence of FA’s involvement in wildlife crime across several parts of Indonesia.
The Police Chief stated that capturing suspects from upstream to downstream marks a historic moment for Polda Riau. “Alhamdulillah this is the first time in the history of Riau Province that we have carried out an upstream-to-downstream disclosure,” he added.
Irjen Herry Heryawan emphasised the need to reinforce collaboration to protect wildlife and flora. The article cuts off before finishing the final sentence.