Vietnamese National Smuggles 796 Kg of Pangolin Scales, Arrested in Merak
The Ministry of Forestry has uncovered the smuggling of 796.34 kilograms of pangolin scales at Merak Port in Banten. A Vietnamese national with the initials LVP has been detained in connection with the case.
Director General of Forest Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto Nugroho stated that the discovery of nearly 800 kilograms of pangolin scales indicates a serious threat to Indonesia’s biodiversity.
“Therefore, law enforcement must be built not only to stop one shipment but to narrow the entire space that allows illegal wildlife trade to continue operating,” Dwi said in his statement on Monday (13/4/2026).
The case was uncovered from the Vietnamese-flagged cargo ship MV Hoi An 8, which was handed over by the Banten Naval Base to the Forestry Law Enforcement Unit. The ship was carrying official cargo of approximately 2,735 tons of steel coils with 13 Vietnamese crew members.
However, behind the legal cargo, officers found 26 packages of pangolin scales weighing a total of 796.34 kilograms. The items are suspected to have been smuggled via sea routes.
Investigators immediately examined the crew and delved into each person’s role. Initial results indicate suspected involvement of a cross-border wildlife trafficking network.
The scale of the evidence and the use of a foreign ship strengthen indications of organised crime. The investigation also points to the possibility of transshipment or ship-to-ship practices in the open sea.
Officers are also tracing the origin of the pangolin scales and their distribution routes. The method of dumping goods at certain points is being further investigated to obscure shipment trails.
From a conservation perspective, this case is considered to have serious impacts. The Javan pangolin is critically endangered, so the amount seized reflects large-scale poaching.
The Ministry of Forestry is charging the suspect under Law No. 32 of 2024, amending Law No. 5 of 1990. The potential penalty is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp5 billion.
Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Unit for the Jabalnusra Region Aswin Bangun said that smuggling methods are becoming increasingly complex. Law enforcement is now focused not only on the perpetrators but also on the networks.
“Therefore, we are not only focusing on the detained suspect but also continuing to trace the patterns, routes, and structures used in this case,” Aswin said.
The Ministry of Forestry emphasises that this disclosure is part of efforts to tighten supervision of distribution routes. This step is to suppress the increasingly massive illegal wildlife trade.