Ministry of Forestry Uncovers Smuggling of 3 Tonnes of Pangolin Scales Bound for Cambodia
The Ministry of Forestry, through its Law Enforcement Agency for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara region, has officially concluded its investigation into a suspect with the initials TT (59). The suspect was involved in an attempt to smuggle approximately 3,053 kilogrammes, or 3 tonnes, of pangolin scales destined for Cambodia via Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stated that this case is clear evidence of organised transnational crime. The perpetrators exploited business entities, official trade documents, and cross-border logistics systems to profit from Indonesia’s biological wealth.
“Illegal wildlife trade is no longer a standalone conservation crime. The state must respond with stronger, integrated law enforcement capable of reaching the masterminds and beneficiaries,” Dwi Januanto asserted on Wednesday (22/7).
The case file for suspect TT has been declared complete (P-21) by the North Jakarta District Prosecutor’s Office based on letter number B4965/M.1.11/Eku.1/07/2026 dated 20 July 2026. Investigators are now preparing to hand over the suspect and evidence to the public prosecutor for trial.
The investigation is not stopping with TT. The Ministry of Forestry is currently targeting three other potential suspects believed to have acted as the owner of the goods, a Cambodian national who was the intended recipient, and the company that arranged the container shipment.
Aswin Bangun, Head of the Ministry’s Law Enforcement Agency for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara region, added that the case is being developed carefully based on communication evidence and financial flows. This approach aims to completely sever the wildlife trafficking network’s chain to prevent it from resuming operations.
For his actions, TT is charged under Article 40A paragraph (1) letter f in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, as amended by Law Number 32 of 2024, along with related articles in the new Criminal Code.
The Ministry of Forestry reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with the National Police, Customs and Excise, the Attorney General’s Office, and INTERPOL to dismantle this international network down to its roots.