Illegal Timber Harvesting in TNBT: Man in Riau Formally Declared a Suspect
The Ministry of Forestry, through the Sumatra Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Office, has named a man identified as W (53) as a suspect in an alleged forestry offence within Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (TNBT), specifically in the Keritang Sub-Resort, Sungai Bebayan, Batu Ampar Village, Kemuning District, Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province.
The suspect is accused of transporting and possessing timber products without official documents and engaging in activities contrary to the park’s conservation function. W has been arrested and is being held for the next 20 days at the Riau Regional Police Detention Centre to support the investigation.
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, emphasised that Bukit Tigapuluh National Park is a critical landscape for the protection of the Sumatran Tiger and Indonesia’s biodiversity.
“TN Bukit Tigapuluh is a vital living space for wildlife, including the Sumatran Tiger. When timber is taken illegally from a national park, it disrupts not only the trees but also habitat, ecological balance, and the protection of life that public interests. Law enforcement in areas like this is a form of the state’s commitment to animals losing their habitat, to communities who rely on healthy forests, and to future generations who deserve Indonesia’s forests to be safeguarded,” he said on Wednesday (20/5).
He explained that national parks are homes for life that must be protected with responsibility. They contain wildlife, trees, water, soil, and human safety that are all interconnected. Any illegal act that destroys a conservation area reduces the benefits that should be safeguarded for the public and future generations.
“Protected forests are part of safety, justice, and Indonesia’s future,” he added.
This case follows a patrol action by the TNBT Forest Patrol Task Force on 12 May 2026. During the patrol, officers apprehended W red-handed as he was transporting processed timber within the TNBT area.
The suspect and the evidence were handed over to the Forestry Law Enforcement Investigators for further legal proceedings. The seized evidence includes sawn timber boards, one black motorcycle, one mobile phone, and one Handy Talkie (HT).
Based on witness statements, evidence, and a case conference with the PPNS (Public Service Police Unit) of the Riau Regional Police, investigators named W a suspect.
The TNBT area holds significant ecological value as a habitat for protected wildlife, including the Sumatran Tiger. Therefore, any illegal extraction, possession, or transport of timber within a national park not only contravenes the law but also risks disrupting habitat integrity and the park’s conservation functions.
Investigators charged the perpetrator under Article 83(1)(b) of Law No. 18 of 2013 on the Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction, as amended by Law No. 6 of 2023; and/or Article 88(1)(a) of Law No. 18 of 2013, and/or Article 40B(1)(e) as amended; and Article 33(2)(e) of Law No. 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Living Natural Resources and Ecosystems as amended by Law No. 32 of 2024. The suspect faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to Category VI, or Rp2 billion.
Head of the Sumatra Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Office, Hari Novianto, stressed that the investigation does not stop at the surface level; it aims to trace how the illegal timber left the TNBT area. “We do not view this as a single case at the field level. Investigators are examining where the timber was taken from, how it left the area, where it was destined, who ordered or stored it, and whether other individuals benefited from the illicit activity,” Hari said.
He added that the evidence, including sawn timber, a motorcycle, a mobile phone, and a handheld radio, is being analysed to understand movement patterns and field communications.
“National parks must not be sources of illegal timber. Therefore, we will oversee this case to its completion in cooperation with the TNBT Forest Patrol Task Force, the PPNS-Police of Riau, and related agencies,” Hari Novianto concluded. (RK)
The Medan District Court (PN Medan) rejected all pretrial applications filed by the suspect identified as MN (53) in relation to an illegal timber transport case.
Wildlife and flora crime is among the world’s top four illicit crimes by turnover.
The case began with the discovery of a Hino truck transporting 62 sawn boards of mixed timber without SKSHH certificates on Dusun Telok Parak–Tanjung Medan Road, Ketapang Regency.
The arrest stemmed from routine patrols by the TNBS Forest Patrol on 19 May 2025.