East Java Police Uncover Endangered Animal Sale Syndicate

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - Police have uncovered a syndicate involved in the sale of endangered animals at Benteng hamlet in Madiun district, East Java province, and arrested three suspects. The suspects have been identified by their initials as DJ, SYD, and BT, spokesman for the East Java provincial police Snr. Commr. Awi Setiyono said here on Friday. While DJ looked for endangered animals, SYD tracked potential buyers, and BT posted blogs regarding the animals on the internet, Awi explained. The endangered animals caught were sold through the internet after being preserved, he said. "One of the suspects maintained a blog to market preserved animal species through the internet," he noted. Police have seized a preserved Sumatran tiger, tiger skin, a tiger skull, a deer skull, and a preserved hawksbill sea turtle from the suspects, he added. According to Awi, police uncovered the syndicate after receiving tip-offs from the public. Police then sent an officer who pretended to be a buyer to nail the suspects. The suspects have been charged with violating the laws on natural resources conservation, ecosystem, and endangered plant and animal species preservation. If found guilty, the suspects will be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to Rp100 million each.(*) Reported by Abdul Malik Ibrahim