Riau Police Charge 15 Suspects in Elephant Poaching and Decapitation Case
Pekanbaru - The Riau Regional Police have established 15 suspects in a wild elephant poaching syndicate following the discovery of a dead elephant with its head severed in Pelalawan District, with three of the suspects still at large who performed roles ranging from executors to intermediaries.
Police Regional Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan announced at a press conference in Pekanbaru on Tuesday that the investigation involved collaborative efforts tracking suspects from the crime scene in Ukui District, Pelalawan, through to Padang in West Sumatra, Jakarta, Surabaya in East Java, Solo and Kudus in Central Java.
“There are 15 suspects with three still being pursued. The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate has dismantled the network and pursued suspects to Padang, Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang and Solo. The entire sequence has been revealed since the crime scene investigation and necropsy,” he stated.
Police have examined 40 witnesses and conducted intelligence analysis. The investigation ultimately uncovered an extraordinary crime that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The Riau Police Special Criminal Investigation Director Senior Commissioner Ade Kuncoro explained that dozens of suspects have been apprehended ranging from the executors to intermediaries or mediators. First, RA (31) served as the executor who severed the elephant’s head after it was shot.
“We apprehended him on 18 February in Ukui. We developed the case and arrested JM (44) who acted as the shooter, apprehended on 19 February 2026. Then SM was arrested in Bagan Limau on 19 February,” he stated.
His role was quite significant, serving as an ivory receiver and supplier of ammunition and firearms for the elephant poachers, as well as logistics coordinator and individual who trained perpetrators to become elephant poachers.
Further arrests followed with AY, an ivory receiver in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, apprehended on 19 February. The ivory was transported through Minangkabau International Airport to Jakarta and received by NK, who also sold firearms.
“Another suspect SL acted as an intermediary in firearms sales. Development then proceeded to Jakarta involving intermediary AR in Surabaya, apprehended on 22 February. Then AC in Surabaya served as an intermediary in ivory transactions, extending to FS who is a financier and boss of the elephant ivory operation. From FS, 140 kilogrammes of pangolin scales were also seized,” he revealed.
The investigation returned to Jakarta, leading to SA (39) in Kudus, who was apprehended on 23 February 2026. Development continued to Solo involving JS and HA, who performed roles as ivory transaction intermediaries and pipe tobacco receivers.
“AN and GL simultaneously taught community members to shoot, and RG, an ivory intermediary, remains under pursuit,” he stated.