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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Indonesian man arrested for online trade of protected birds

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Indonesian authorities arrested a suspect in Jayapura for allegedly trading protected wildlife species online.
  • Seven protected birds, including parrots and cockatoos, were seized during the operation.
  • The arrest highlights the growing trend of illegal wildlife trade via digital platforms and the need for adaptive law enforcement.

Indonesian forestry authorities have apprehended a suspect in Jayapura, Papua, for allegedly engaging in the illegal trade of protected wildlife species, which were being marketed through social media. The operation, conducted by the Forestry Law Enforcement Unit for Maluku and Papua, resulted in the seizure of seven protected birds suspected to be intended for sale.

Dwi Januanto Nugroho, Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that illegal wildlife trade is evolving with changing consumer transaction patterns, including the use of digital platforms. He emphasized the necessity for law enforcement to adapt to new modus operandi employed by perpetrators. "Law enforcement must become more adaptive through strengthened supervision, utilization of digital information, and cross-agency collaboration," Nugroho said, aiming not only to halt individual transactions but to safeguard Indonesia's biodiversity from becoming a commodity in illegal trade.

Law enforcement must become more adaptive through strengthened supervision, utilization of digital information, and cross-agency collaboration.

— Dwi Januanto NugrohoThe Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement stressed the need for evolving enforcement strategies.

The confiscated birds included five Black-capped Lories (Lorius lory), one Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), and one Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), along with four birdcages. The operation began after the Maluku and Papua Forestry Law Enforcement Unit's cyber patrol detected suspected offers of protected wildlife on Facebook. The team verified the information and traced the account allegedly involved in the sale.

The suspect, identified by the initials MH, aged 35, was apprehended at his residence in the Entrop area of Jayapura. He faces charges under Indonesian law concerning the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems, potentially leading to imprisonment ranging from three to 15 years and fines of up to Rp5 billion (approximately $330,000 USD). The Ministry of Forestry urged the public not to trade or keep protected species.

Currently, we are still conducting in-depth investigations to complete the legal process according to applicable laws.

— Fredrik E TumbelThe Head of the Maluku and Papua Forestry Law Enforcement Unit commented on the ongoing investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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