inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Directorate of Certain Crimes (Dittipidter) of the Indonesian National Police (INP) Criminal Investigation Unit arrested four suspects who were part of an illegal elephant ivory sales syndicate.
The Director of Certain Crimes (Dirtipidter) of INP Criminal Investigation Unit Brigadier General Nunung Syaifuddin said that the four suspects had the initials IR, EF, SS, and JF.
"Regarding the alleged criminal act, they were arrested for storing, possessing, transporting and/or trading specimens of parts or goods made from parts of protected animals, in the form of whole elephant ivory suspected of coming from parts of protected elephants," he said in a press conference at INP Criminal Investigation Unit Building, Jakarta, Monday (5/26/2025).
Nunung stated that the four suspects were arrested in three different places. Suspects IR and EF were arrested on Matahari Street, Babakan Village, Cibeureum District, Sukabumi, West Java.
During the arrest, investigators found suspects IR and EF storing, possessing, and trading cigarette pipes suspected of being made from protected elephant ivory, via live streaming via TikTok social media with the account names WansJunior9393 and GG&K.
"Based on information from suspect IR, he bought elephant ivory from JF which was still in the form of ivory cigarette pipes and whole ivory in various sizes," said Nunung.
The goods were then sold by IR via social media at varying prices.
Evidence confiscated from suspects IR and EF included eight elephant tusks, 178 cigarette pipes made of elephant tusks, one live microphone, two packages of ready-to-ship cigarette pipes, five savings books belonging to IR, and four cell phones.
Next, suspect SS was arrested on Ciaul Pasir street, Cisarua Village, Cikole District, Sukabumi, West Java.
Nunung said that suspect SS stored, owned, and traded cigarette pipes suspected of being made of protected elephant tusks via Facebook social media with an account named Soni Sopian.
Finally, suspect JF was arrested at his house on Ramli street, Tebet, South Jakarta.
At JF's house, investigators found 10 carved statues, one lion-carved buckle head, seven cigarette pipes, and seven bracelets. All of them are suspected of being made of protected elephant tusks.
JF also has four kiosks on Surabaya street, Menteng, Central Jakarta, which are used to sell unprocessed elephant tusks.
Nunung said that the suspect JF had been carrying out this activity since 2020.
Nunung Syaifuddin estimated the value of the illegal elephant ivory confiscated by his party was worth IDR 2.3 billion.
The four suspects were charged with Article 40 A paragraph (1) letter F in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c of Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems and/or Article 40 paragraph (1) letter h in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter g of Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems.
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