18 Suspects Arrested in Sumatra Elephant Poaching Case | Riau Police

Police in Riau province have arrested 18 suspects in connection with the killing of a Sumatran elephant in Ukui district, Pelalawan regency. The individuals are accused of roles ranging from hunting the animal to purchasing its ivory.

National Police spokesperson Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir stated that National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo is fully committed to protecting the environment and its ecosystems, including wildlife.

“The case being handled by the Riau Police is one example and concrete proof of that commitment,” Isir said during a press conference at the Riau Police headquarters in Pekanbaru on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Isir explained that the investigation employed scientific crime investigation techniques. Evidence collected at the scene indicated the 40-year-old Sumatran elephant died as a result of being shot by poachers.

“The scientific crime investigation involved combining ballistic analysis, GPS tracking, and mapping of the perpetrators’ network. Currently, 15 suspects have been secured, and three individuals have been designated as wanted persons,” he said.

Of the 18 suspects, 15 were apprehended in various locations between February 18 and February 23, 2026, including areas within Pelalawan regency, Riau; Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra; Solo, Central Java; Kudus, Central Java; Surabaya, East Java, and Jakarta. The remaining three suspects are currently at large.

Investigation from Start to Finish

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Pol Herry Heryawan stated that the death of the Sumatran elephant is not merely a criminal act, but a collective loss. He emphasized the elephant’s crucial role as a guardian of ecological balance and the ecosystem.

“When an elephant is killed for short-term economic gain, the damage extends beyond a single animal, disrupting the interconnected web of life,” he said.

Heryawan noted that this was not the first instance of elephant deaths within the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN). Riau Police records indicate eight elephant deaths have occurred since 2024.

“This investigation has allowed us to uncover eight previous cases. In 2024, there were four elephants killed by gunfire, and another four in 2025. During the search and crime scene investigation, remnants of bones were discovered, and their status has been maintained. This indicates that this syndicate is not acting on impulse,” he explained.

Heryawan credited the success of the investigation to the collaborative efforts of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police, the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Environment, the Riau Provincial Government, the Tuanku Tambusai Military Command, the Riau High Prosecutor’s Office, the TNTN Center, and related stakeholders, including the concession holder, RAPP.

“This is the first time in the history of Riau Province that we have been able to conduct an investigation from start to finish. You’ll see 15 suspects, and three are still being pursued,” he said.

Riau Police’s Director of Special Criminal Investigation, Commissioner Pol Ade Kuncoro, stated that 15 of the 18 suspects were arrested in locations across Riau, West Sumatra, Jakarta, Central Java, and East Java. The three remaining suspects are still wanted by police.

Kuncoro explained that the suspects played various roles, including executing the shooting and dismembering the elephant, providing funding, acting as intermediaries, and selling illegal firearms. The details of each suspect’s role are as follows:

8 Suspects linked to Pelalawan and West Sumatra:

1. RA (31), role: dismembering the elephant’s head and possessing an illegal firearm, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga village on February 18, 2026
2. JM (44), role: shooter, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga village on February 19, 2026
3. SM (41), role: guide and possessing an illegal firearm, arrested in Bagan Limau village on February 19, 2026
4. FA (62), role: providing funding, ivory dealer, possessing ammunition, and dismembering ivory, arrested in Simalinyang village, Kampar Kiri Tengah district on February 19, 2026
5. HY (74), role: ivory dealer and intermediary in ivory transactions, apprehended in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra on February 19, 2026
6. AB (56), role: courier, arrested in Padang City, West Sumatra on February 19, 2026
7. LK (43), role: firearms dealer, arrested in Lirik village, Lirik district, Indragiri Hulu regency on February 20, 2026
8. SL (43), role: intermediary in firearms sales, arrested in Ukui district, Pelalawan on February 20, 2026.

7 Suspects from outside the region:

1. AR (39), role: intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
2. AC (40), role: intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
3. FS (43), role: financier and ivory dealer, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
4. ME (49), role: intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Jakarta on February 22, 2026
5. SA (39), role: intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Kudus on February 23, 2026
6. JS (47), role: intermediary in ivory transactions and dealer of ivory cigarette holders, arrested in Solo on February 23, 2026
7. HA (42), role: intermediary in ivory transactions and cigarette holder sales, arrested in Solo on February 23, 2026

Riau Police have also identified three suspects currently on the wanted list (DPO), identified as AN, GL, and RB. They are accused of shooting and dismembering the elephant, as well as dealing in ivory.

The suspects face charges under Article 40A of Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning the Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems, carrying a minimum prison sentence of three years and a maximum of 15 years, along with a fine of up to Rp5 billion.

Previously, Riau Police Chief Inspector General Pol Herry Heryawan revealed the arrests on his Instagram account.

“Every trace leaves a story, and every story leaves evidence,” said Inspector General Heryawan.

The 40-year-old Sumatran elephant was found dead in the concession area of PT RAPP’s Ukui district, Lubuk Kembang Bunga village, Ukui district, Pelalawan regency, on the evening of Monday, February 2, 2026. The wild elephant was discovered with gunshot wounds to the back of its skull, with its head, trunk, and tusks missing.

Notice Video ‘Baby Elephant Found Dead in Tesso Nilo, Riau Police Chief Checks Location’:

(mea/dhn)