Indonesian police broke up a cross-border wildlife trafficking network, arresting six suspects along with seized Komodo dragons, a rare endangered species. They bought the animals cheaply from hunters before inflating resale prices up to six times, aiming to export them to customers in Thailand.
Indonesian authorities announced the arrest of six suspects involved in smuggling Komodo dragons, a distinctive native reptile species of Indonesia currently facing endangerment. All the animals were found prepared for shipment to Thailand.
The operation began in February when police arrested the first two suspects in Surabaya, East Java, as they were unloading three live Komodo dragons from a boat. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of four more accomplices.
Investigations revealed that the suspects sourced these reptiles from hunters in East Nusa Tenggara province, the only natural habitat of Komodo dragons. They bought each animal for approximately 5.5 million rupiah (about 10,278 baht) and resold them at prices up to six times higher for export, especially to clients in Thailand.
East Java provincial police disclosed that since January last year, the network smuggled at least 20 Komodo dragons, generating profits exceeding $33,000 (around 1.06 million baht). All suspects face up to five years imprisonment and fines under wildlife protection laws.
Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Komodo dragon as "Endangered," estimating only about 3,400 remain in the wild. They face threats from human encroachment, climate change damaging their habitats, and illegal capture for exotic pet trade or private zoo displays.
Additionally, Indonesian police announced the arrest of two suspects in a case involving the smuggling of over 140 kilograms of pangolin scales from Riau province to Surabaya. Pangolins are among the world's most threatened species, and their scales are highly sought in Chinese and Vietnamese markets for use in traditional medicines, despite lack of scientific evidence for medicinal efficacy.
/AFP