Three Hectares of Mangrove Forest Cleared, Man in Rokan Hilir Named Suspect

Rokan Hilir Police have uncovered a case of mangrove forest encroachment in a Limited Production Forest (HPT) area located in Kepenghuluan Sungai Daun, Pasir Limau Kapas District, Rokan Hilir Regency. A 46-year-old man with the initials I alias M has been named a suspect in the case.

Rokan Hilir Police Chief AKBP Isa Imam Syahroni stated that the case came to light following a report from the environmental watchdog Yayasan Peduli Lingkungan, which discovered land management activity within the mangrove forest area. After conducting a field inspection and verifying coordinates through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (LHK) portal, the location was confirmed to be within a Limited Production Forest area that requires government permits.

‘At the site, officers found evidence of land clearing using heavy equipment covering an area of approximately 3 hectares,’ Isa said in a statement on Wednesday (17/6/2026).

Investigations revealed that the land was managed by suspect I, a resident of Kepenghuluan Sungai Daun. Following up on the report, the Rokan Hilir Police Criminal Investigation Unit conducted a series of investigations, coordinated with experts, and held a case conference.

‘Based on sufficient evidence, investigators named I alias M Bin R as a suspect and made an arrest for further legal proceedings,’ he stated.

In addition to naming the suspect, police also secured evidence including one orange excavator unit, one Realme C71 mobile phone, land documentation, and a site map showing the area is within a forest zone.

For his actions, the suspect is charged under the Forestry Law and related environmental protection regulations, facing a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to Rp10 billion.

The police chief emphasised that this case demonstrates the commitment of the Indonesian National Police to preserving the environment and taking firm action against any legal violations in forest areas, particularly mangrove zones which serve vital ecological functions.