Ministry of Forestry apprehends pangolin scale and hornbill beak traffickers in Padang
The Sumatra Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, under the Directorate General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Forestry, has named RPS, also known as R (23), as a suspect in the alleged illegal trade of protected wildlife body parts. The suspect was apprehended along with evidence consisting of one sack of pangolin scales and 16 hornbill beaks at Jalan By Pass Km 6, Simpang Parak Pisang, Pauh District, Padang City, West Sumatra.
In a statement in Jakarta on Friday, the Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stated that the handling of wildlife trade must not be done partially or merely stop at the individuals caught carrying evidence. “The discovery in Padang demonstrates the importance of breaking the trade chain from the hunting and collection stages in local areas, before wildlife parts are consolidated and moved towards larger distribution networks,” he said. Januanto emphasised that wildlife trade must be addressed as a single criminal chain from upstream to downstream.
Previously, he noted that the Directorate General of Forestry Law Enforcement had uncovered cases involving 3,053 kilograms of pangolin scales allegedly destined for Cambodia, as well as the smuggling of 796.34 kilograms of pangolin scales from a Vietnamese-flagged vessel at Merak Port. He asserted that every case must serve as an entry point to trace hunters, collectors, suppliers, transporters, intermediaries, end-buyers, and those controlling and profiting from the trade. “Law enforcement strategies are being strengthened through intelligence, cyber patrols, communication flow inspections, as well as cross-regional and cross-border cooperation. Every pangolin scale and hornbill beak traded signifies the loss of wildlife from its natural habitat. Therefore, breaking the trade network is a vital part of protecting Indonesia’s biodiversity and forest ecosystems,” said Dwi Januanto Nugroho.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Sumatra Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, Hari Novianto, stated that they will continue to take firm action against any perpetrators of the trade in protected flora and fauna. “We will continue to synergise with relevant law enforcement agencies to eradicate the hunting and trading of protected wildlife to ensure their conservation. We are also strengthening the use of technology, such as Cyber Patrol and Intelligence Centres, for the surveillance of protected wildlife trade,” said Hari Novianto.
The arrest was conducted on 27 July 2026, through a joint operation involving the Sumatra Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Balai KSDA Sumbar), and the West Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumbar). In addition to the pangolin scales and hornbill beaks, the team also seized one mobile phone and one motorcycle suspected to be linked to the trading activities.
The suspect is charged with violating Article 40A paragraph (1) letter f in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c of Law Number 32 of 2024 regarding the Amendment to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems, in conjunction with Government Regulation Number 7 of 1999 on the Preservation of Plant and Animal Species, and the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number P.106/2018. These regulations prohibit the storage, possession, transport, and/or trade of specimens, parts, or goods made from protected wildlife. The suspect faces a prison sentence of between three and 15 years, and a fine of at least Rp200 million up to a maximum of Rp5 billion.