Inp.polri.go.id - Banjarmasin. The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Kalimantan Regional Police uncovered an inter-provincial pangolin scale trafficking network, arresting two suspects and seizing nearly 58 kilograms of scales from protected wildlife.
South Kalimantan Police Director of Special Crimes Senior Superintendent Sigit Haryono confirmedthat officers arrested two suspects, identified by their initials RZ and RA, alongside 57.885 kilograms of confiscated pangolin scales.
The operation was launched following public reports investigated by Sub-Directorate IV officers led by Senior Inspector Gita Suhandi Achmadi, who intercepted a planned commercial transaction between the suspects.
Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate had completed three prior transactions across Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, Tabalong Regency, and Central Sulawesi. The suspects purchased raw pangolin scales from local gatherers at Rp 800,000 per kilogram before offering them on social media platforms like Facebook for Rp 3,000,000 per kilogram, targeting total profit margins of Rp 127.3 million.
Banjarbaru Region 2 Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) representative Junaidi Selamat Wibowo appreciated the police for protecting endangered species. He noted that the operation follows an August 2026 bust where police seized 64 kilograms of pangolin scales intended for transit to Surabaya and subsequent smuggling to Vietnam and China, emphasizing that pangolins play a critical role in maintaining forest ecosystem balance.
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