Indonesian police foil the smuggling of protected animals from abroad

Indonesian police announced successes in their battle to prevent the smuggling of protected species.

The Riau Police Special Criminal Investigation Directorate said they foiled attempts at illegal animal smuggling by two suspects, who they named just with the initials Y and IS.

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Agung Setya Imam Effendi spoke about the criminal networks behind wildlife smuggling, at a press event at the Kasang Kulim Zoo on Sunday (15 December).

With him were a number of animals rescued from smugglers bringing them into the country, including four African lions, one leopard, and three baskets containing 58 Indiana turtles.

The animals will be handed over to conservation agency BBKSDA Riau (Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam, or Center for Conservation of Natural Resources) who will look after the animmals at Kasang Kulim Zoo.

Three rescued orang utang, a species native to Indonesia, were also at the event.