Suspect arrested in 3-ton pangolin scale smuggling case to Cambodia

Indonesian forestry authorities have apprehended a 59-year-old suspect, identified as TT, in connection with the smuggling of over three tons of pangolin scales. The illicit shipment was reportedly destined for Cambodia.

The operation unfolded on February 12, 2026, when customs officials at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta inspected a shipping container. The export documents falsely declared the contents as sea cucumber, but a physical examination revealed 99 cartons filled with pangolin scales. This discrepancy served as the initial lead for uncovering the alleged smuggling of protected animal parts through official logistics channels.

Aswin Bangun, head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Center for Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara, stated that the investigation indicates a multi-party involvement in the smuggling chain. This includes collection, storage, document processing, the use of shell companies as exporters, and the arrangement of international shipments.

TT has been detained, and authorities are pursuing other individuals believed to be involved in orchestrating the operation. The suspect faces a potential prison sentence of three to 15 years and fines ranging from Rp 200 million to Rp 5 billion. The case is being handled amid heightened international cooperation, following an Interpol meeting on wildlife crime in Jakarta from May 19-21, 2026, which involved law enforcement from Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Bangun noted that the 3-ton pangolin scale shipment is a significant concern, illustrating how protected wildlife parts can be disguised as legal commodities and trafficked to overseas black markets. He also pointed to a shift in trade patterns, with a move from trafficking live pangolins to trading their scales in increasingly large quantities, indicating a more organized and sophisticated supply chain.