Noodle Vendor Arrested Over Bird COD Scheme Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison
An illegal wildlife trade network operating via social media has been dismantled. Law enforcement officials successfully raided an illegal wildlife trading syndicate in Papua, leading to the arrest of an individual identified by the initials MH (3ered). While his daily occupation is a noodle vendor, he allegedly acted as a broker for protected fauna.
The case involving the theft of biological resources has now been officially transferred to the courts after the case files were declared complete (P-21). Through the Forestry Law Enforcement Agency (Gakkumhut) for the Maluku and Papua Region, the Ministry of Forestry officially handed over the suspect and all evidence to the Papua High Prosecutor’s Office on Monday (31/8).
During the covert operation, authorities managed to rescue seven endemic birds of prey with strictly protected status. The rescued animals include five Black-capped Lories (Lorius lory), one Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), and one Sri Lankan Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), along with four cages used for containment, according to the Ministry of Forestry’s official website.
The exposure of this cross-platform criminal network began with routine cyber patrols conducted by the SPORC Brigade Kanguru Intelligence Team. In June 2026, officers detected a Facebook account under the name Muhlis Nababan, which brazenly displayed photos and videos of several parrots in cages, accompanied by the cryptic caption: “Ngelumpukno Manok Emprit”.
Digital surveillance was subsequently intensified. It did not take long; by 20 July 2026, the account began openly offering protected wildlife, complete with estimated prices and transaction locations in the Entrop area, Jayapura City.
Based on investigations into the comment sections, the perpetrator offered low prices for the animals: an Eclectus Parrot for Rp350,000, a Black-capped Lory for Rp300,000, and a Sri Lankan Cockatoo reaching up to Rp1.4 million per bird. Potential buyers were then directed to continue transactions privately via WhatsApp.
During interrogations, MH admitted to obtaining the rare animals from street networks using a mysterious Cash on Delivery (COD) scheme. On the night of Saturday, 18 July 2026, MH purchased five Black-capped Lories and one Eclectus Parrot for Rp200,000 each from a motorcyclist in the Hamadi Entrop area. Later that same night, at 22:00 WIT, he purchased one Sri Lankan Cockatoo for Rp1 million from another mysterious supplier near the Holtekamp Red Bridge. The birds were then stockpiled at his residence to generate instant profit.
However, MH’s digital escape route was ultimately cut short. Armed with mature cyber intelligence data, the Plant and Wildlife Trade Operation Team of the Gakkumhut Agency moved swiftly on Wednesday night, 22 July 2026, at 20:41 WIT. Accompanied by investigators from the Papua Regional Police and local community leaders, officers raided MH’s house in the South Jayapura District. All protected birds were found alive and were immediately secured at the Gakkumhut office.
This virtual manhunt serves as a stern warning to wildlife criminals who believe the digital space is beyond the reach of the law. For his actions, MH faces charges under Article 40A paragraph (1) letters d and h in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letters a and g of Law Number 32 of 2024, regarding the Amendment to Law Number 5 of 1990 on the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems.
The legal penalties are significant: a prison sentence of a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years, along with substantial fines ranging from Rp200 million to Rp5 billion. The Ministry of Forestry continues to urge the public to actively break the chain of illegal trade by not keeping, buying, or selling protected wildlife, and to report suspicious social media accounts to preserve the nation’s natural heritage.