Three Suspects in Illegal Hunting in Komodo National Park Face 10 Years in Prison

The case of illegal hunting in Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has now entered the trial phase, where three suspects will be tried. Meanwhile, authorities are still pursuing five alleged perpetrators of illegal hunting in the national park, home to Indonesia’s endemic animals. The Ministry of Forestry handed over all case files along with evidence to the Manggarai Barat District Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday (14/4). Director General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Forestry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, reminded that this case is not merely about animal theft but a real threat to the balance of nature. In addition to Komodo dragons, he stated that the hunting of protected Timor deer also has an impact. According to him, the Timor deer targeted for hunting plays a vital role in the food chain of the endemic Komodo animals and the balance of the ecosystem there. “The Timor deer is an important link in the survival of the Komodo dragon and the balance of the savanna ecosystem. If this hunting practice is allowed to continue, the impact will not only be felt by one species but will spread to the destruction of the entire natural order. The integrity of this ecosystem, which is a source of world pride, is at stake,” Dwi said in an official statement, quoted on Thursday (16/4). The uncovering of illegal hunting practices in Komodo National Park stemmed from a joint operation by the Centre for Law Enforcement of the Environment and Forestry (Gakkum) and the police. The crackdown on illegal hunting took place on 14 December 2025 in the waters of Laju Pemali, Komodo Island. When officers tried to stop a suspicious moving boat, the situation heated up because the illegal hunters instead resisted by pointing firearms at the authorities. A shootout was unavoidable and briefly occurred in the waters of the Sape Strait, before the authorities finally managed to control the situation and arrest three suspects with initials AB, AD, and YA. However, officers stated that there were still five other individuals who managed to escape and are now officially on the wanted list (DPO). Head of the Jabalnusra Gakkum Centre, Aswin Bangun, explained that his team managed to secure several pieces of evidence, including one homemade firearm, eight rounds of active 5.56 mm calibre ammunition, ten bullet casings, one hunted deer, and the wooden boat used for the crime. “Our officers had to face a very critical and life-threatening situation. Therefore, we are handling this case comprehensively and seriously, not stopping at the three people arrested. We continue to hunt for the five fugitives,” Aswin said when confirmed by CNNindonesia.com on Thursday. The suspects are now charged with multiple articles. They face charges under Law No. 32 of 2024 on the Protection of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, as well as the Emergency Law No. 12 of 1951 regarding firearms possession. For their actions, they face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to Rp5 billion. Komodo smuggling abroad Previously, the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) of the East Java Provincial Police successfully dismantled an international-scale syndicate trading protected wildlife, such as Komodo dragons, cuscus, and hundreds of kilograms of pangolin scales, with state losses reaching billions of rupiah. Dirreskrimsus of East Java Police, Kombes Roy HM Sihombing, stated that this bust was divided into several crime clusters. The first and main cluster was the theft of protected wildlife species, Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis), taken directly from their natural habitat in the East Manggarai Regency area, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). “The suspects are suspected of trading live protected animals in the form of three Komodo dragons or Varanus komodoensis originating from suppliers or hunters from the Sambi Rampas Subdistrict, East Manggarai Regency, NTT Province,” Roy said at East Java Police Headquarters on Wednesday (15/4). Deputy Head of Subdirectorate IV Tipidter of Ditreskrimsus East Java Police, AKBP Hanif Fatih Wicaksono, said that this bust began with intelligence information about the shipment of protected animals from NTT to Surabaya via sea route. Officers then made arrests at Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya, when suspects BM and SD disembarked from the ship. In smuggling the Komodo dragons to Surabaya, the suspects used PVC pipes as a medium to store the protected reptiles. The smuggled Komodo dragons were still juveniles. Police then confirmed the authenticity of the animals through scientific testing in a laboratory. DNA test results confirmed that the seized animals were not ordinary monitor lizards but genuine protected Komodo dragons.