The Non-Government Organisation (NGO) investigating the illegal wildlife trade, SCORPION Foundation, assisted Jakarta Police to bust an international online rare wildlife trafficking syndicate in Indonesia. Jakarta Police announced today (Nov. 18, 2015) to the media the initials of all syndicate members who have been arrested through a series of investigations over the last two weeks.
The SCORPION Foundation, a registered Indonesian non-profit organisation started investigating the online trade of protected species since 2 months ago but because the trade was carried out very secretly it was growing in scale and complexity. However, Scorpion’s investigators in Jakarta finally uncovered this illegal trade network and the results of Scorpion’s investigations were communicated to the Jakarta police who successfully arrested two suspects (Mr. JA and his assistant) on Thursday (5 November 2015) in West Jakarta.
Two of SCORPION’s women volunteers pretended to be buyers of a sun bear infant displayed on the internet. The price was agreed IDR5,000,000 (US$370) and the animal would be handed over to the buyers when payment received. At the time of delivery of the animal, Jakarta Police immediately arrested the animal trader, Mr. JA and his assistant.
Previously, investigators of the SCORPION foundation had been posing as buyers of the sun bear infant to the same person but he managed to escape the Jakarta Police because he was suspicious of the Scorpion’s Senior Investigator. The trader has since issued threats via SMS to SCORPION Foundation. In the second effort, the trader was contacted by a woman volunteer and he was not so suspicious.
While in the process of handing over the sun bear to the Scorpion investigator, the Jakarta Police immediately arrested JA and his assistant and brought them to Jakarta Police office for further investigation. The arrest of JA and his assistant has been the starting point of revealing the online international wildlife trade syndicate.
"The SCORPION Foundation greatly appreciates Jakarta Police for handling this case seriously as the illegal online wildlife trade has been increasingly widespread lately but it is very difficult to ensnare them because they are very devious and suspicious," said Program Director of Scorpion Foundation, Gunung Gea.
Jakarta Police announced to the press today, 6 people have been arrested as the results of a series of investigation. Their initials are as follows:
Jakarta Police also confiscated evidence of the case including:
The head of Jakarta Police Public Relation, Mr. Iqbal also revealed to the press that these wildlife traders had an international network through Kuwait. Orangutans have also been illegally sent to Kuwait with assistant of Quarantine officer in Jakarta airport. They are still being investigated. Gunung Gea, appeals to the people of Indonesia to not buy any wildlife. “Wildlife belongs in the wild. If you see wildlife for sale online please report to SCORPION and also report to law enforcement agencies. For those who own protected animals they are encouraged to immediately hand them over to the government conservation agencies (BKSDA) throughout Indonesia.” "Keeping protected animals at home commonly intended for pleasure, but, in fact, it will make life uneasy under the shadow of the threat of prison and paying of expensive fine," said Gunung Gea. Under Law No. 5 year 1990, every person who kill / capture / keep protected species can be sentenced to five years in jail plus fine of IDR100 million (US$7,400).
