Police seize 57.88 kg of pangolin scales in South Kalimantan

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - South Kalimantan Police have busted a cross-provincial wildlife trafficking syndicate, seizing 57.885 kilograms of pangolin scales and two hornbill bills.

"We arrested suspects with the initials RZ and RA, and seized 57.885 kilograms of pangolin scales," Director of Special Criminal Investigation at South Kalimantan Police Senior Commissioner Sigit Haryono said in Banjarmasin on Friday.

Sigit said the case began with information from the public, which was followed by an investigation by Unit III of Subdirectorate IV.

A team led by Chief of Subdirectorate IV Certain Criminal Commissioner Gita Suhandi Achmadi detected plans by two people to sell pangolin scales.

Police arrested the suspects on September 18 on Mabuun Raya Street in Mabu'un Village, Murung Pudak Subdistrict, Tabalong District.

Police found 57.885 kilograms of pangolin scales, parts of a protected species, worth Rp173.655 million (around US$9,681), Sigit said.

They also seized two hornbill bills weighing 90 grams in total and valued at Rp135 million (around US$7,526).

Sigit said the suspects admitted to selling pangolin scales three times in South Kalimantan's Hulu Sungai Selatan and Tabalong Districts and in Central Kalimantan.

The suspects bought the pangolin scales directly from local residents for Rp800,000 per kilogram (around US$44.60), Sigit said.

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They then offered the scales to prospective buyers on Facebook for Rp3 million per kilogram (around US$167).

Had all 57.885 kilograms been sold at that price, the suspects could have made a profit margin of about Rp127.3 million (around US$7,095).

The total estimated sale value of the seized pangolin scales was about Rp173.655 million, based on the offered price.

The two hornbill bills were also considered valuable, with buyers paying Rp950,000 per gram (around US$52.96) and the suspects planning to resell them for Rp1.5 million per gram (around US$83.63).

At about 90 grams, the bills had an estimated resale value of Rp135 million (around US$7,526).

Sigit said the law enforcement action was aimed at protecting endangered species such as pangolins.

The 57 kilograms of pangolin scales seized were determined to have come from 285 adult pangolins that were alive when killed, he said.

The estimate was based on the suspects' statement that each kilogram of pangolin scales was obtained from five pangolins.

Head of Region 2 conservation at the South Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Junaidi Selamat Wibowo, in Banjarbaru, praised police for disrupting trade in protected wildlife parts.

He said pangolins play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance and are protected because they face threats of extinction.

Hornbills, also known as enggang in Indonesia, are also important for dispersing seeds and supporting forest regeneration, he said.

"Hornbill species, such as the helmeted hornbill, face extinction because of hunting for their bills," he added.

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Translator: Firman, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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