BY PRESS RELEASE
Banda Aceh,
TAG —
Police in Indonesia’s Aceh province have confiscated a number of illegally held
live animals and wildlife parts from the homes of suspected wildlife
traffickers, Wildlife Conservation Society said.
The Aceh police—led by Second Police Officer
Afrinal and Chief Police Officer Brigadier Roni Asmui—conducted the raid on May
27-28th, working with WCS’s Wildlife Crimes Unit (WCU), the SOCP
(Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme), and the Natural Resources Conservancy Agency (BKSDA).
According to a press statement obtained by The Aceh
Globe on Thursday (June 5 2014), the raid was prompted by an investigation of
two suspects, one of whom—named Lbt—allegedly served as a middleman by
purchasing animals from hunters and selling to collectors and other suppliers.
"He is purportedly well known in the region for dealing in orangutans and other
threatened primates," the statement said.
Police officers, forest rangers, WCU agents, and
SOCP veterinarians confiscated a number of protected species in the operation,
including two saltwater (or estuarine) crocodiles, a siamang gibbon, giant
squirrel, porcupine, four slow loris, two eagles and a lesser adjutant stork
from the residence of Lbt.
“This is an important step forward in dealing with
illegally captured and traded wildlife in northern Sumatra,” SOCP’s Director Dr
Ian Singleton said.
“The numbers of animals such as orangutans and
other protected species still being killed and captured, and ending up as
illegal pets is still as high as ever, since people still consider the chances
of any legal consequences to be close to zero.
This simply has to change and the number of cases
prosecuted in the courts has to go up dramatically. This case is also an
excellent example of cooperation between NGO’s, police and government agencies.
Indeed we must all continue to work together to achieve this goal.”
The team also confiscated a stuffed Sumatran tiger
skin from the residence of Mns, the second suspect.
“Aceh police will continue to protect wildlife
through the confiscation of illegally captured and smuggled animals and
wildlife products and the arrests of those who violate Indonesia’s laws,” said
Police Senior Commissioner Joko Irwanto.
“We ask the people to support our efforts in
conserving Indonesia’s wildlife and continue to collaborate with national and
international NGOs for law enforcement efforts.”
Dr. Noviar Andayani, Country Director WCS-Indonesia
Program added, “We appreciate the efforts of the Aceh police to uncover illegal
wildlife syndicates operating in the country’s protected areas. This strong
commitment from the police will hopefully serve as a model for wildlife
enforcement in other regions.”[]
Aceh Police Confiscate Protected Wildlife
Reviewed by theacehglobe
on
June 05, 2014
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