A Sumatran elephant was found dead without its head in the concession area of PT RAPP’s Ukui District, Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui Sub-district, Pelalawan Regency. Authorities have determined the approximately 40-year-old elephant was killed by a wildlife poaching syndicate, a case that underscores the ongoing threat to endangered species in Indonesia.
The elephant was initially discovered by local residents on Monday, February 2, 2026, with its face, trunk, and both tusks missing. A subsequent necropsy revealed two bullet projectiles in the back of the skull, strongly indicating the animal, scientifically known as elephas maximus Sumatranus, died as a result of being shot.
Following a scientific crime investigation, Riau Police have arrested the perpetrators and those involved in trafficking the elephant’s ivory. The investigation has led to a total of 15 suspects being apprehended, with three more currently on a wanted list.
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National Police Public Relations Division Head Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir stated that the investigation into the illegal elephant poaching, conducted by Riau Police, demonstrates the commitment of National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo to protecting nature and protected animals.
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Konferensi Pers di Polda Riau terkait pengungkapan pembunuhan gajah di Kecamatan Ukui, Kabupaten Pelalawan, Selasa (3/2/2026). Foto: dok. Polda Riau
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“The National Police Chief, as the leader of the National Police, is committed to protecting nature and the environment, including protected wildlife in Indonesia. The case being handled by Riau Police is one manifestation and concrete proof of that commitment,” said Inspector General Johnny Isir at Riau Police Headquarters in Pekanbaru on Tuesday, March 3.
Johnny Isir expressed hope that the disclosure of the Sumatran elephant murder case will serve as a momentum to strengthen collaboration among all parties in protecting protected flora and fauna.
Meanwhile, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni expressed his appreciation to the National Police and Riau Police for solving the case. Raja Juli said that elephants are the most beloved animals of President Prabowo Subianto.
“This brutal and illegal practice is regrettable that it still occurs. We know that the Sumatran elephant is the most beloved animal of President Prabowo Subianto,” Raja Juli said during a press conference at Riau Police Headquarters.
At that time, Raja Juli likewise awarded appreciation to Riau Police Chief Inspector General Pol Herry Heryawan, Director of Special Criminal Investigation of Riau Police Commissioner Ade Kuncoro Wahyu, Director of General Criminal Investigation of Riau Police Commissioner Hasyim Risahondua, and Pelalawan Police Chief AKBP John Louis Letedara.
 Menhut Raja Juli Antoni memberikan penghargaan ke jajaran Polda Riau atas pengungkapan perburuan gajah Sumatera, Selasa (3/3/2026). Foto: dok. Polda Riau |
1. Riau Police Arrest 15 Suspects
The Riau Regional Police (Polda Riau) have arrested 15 suspects and named three others as persons of interest in the Sumatran elephant poaching case in Ukui Sub-district, Pelalawan Regency. Among the 15 suspects, one key figure is identified as FA (62), who played a significant role in the trade of elephants and other wildlife in Indonesia.
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan said the suspects hunted Sumatran elephants to take and sell their ivory.
“In the construction of the case, FA acted as the financier, ivory dealer, ammunition owner, and ivory cutter,” said Inspector General Herry Heryawan during a press conference at Riau Police Headquarters on Tuesday, March 3.
8 Suspects from Pelalawan and West Sumatra networks:
- RA (31), role of cutting the elephant’s head and owning an improvised firearm, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village on February 18, 2026
- JM (44), role of shooter, arrested in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village on February 19, 2026
- SM (41), role of guide and owner of an improvised firearm, arrested in Bagan Limau Village on February 19, 2026
- FA (62), role of financier, ivory dealer, ammunition owner, and ivory cutter, arrested in Simalinyang Village, Kampar Kiri Tengah Sub-district on February 19, 2026
- HY (74), role of ivory dealer and intermediary in ivory transactions, secured in Padang Panjang Regency, West Sumatra on February 19, 2026
- AB (56), role of courier, arrested in Padang City, West Sumatra on February 19, 2026
- LK (43), role of firearms seller, arrested in Lirik Village, Lirik Sub-district, Indragiri Hulu Regency on February 20, 2026
- SL (43), role of intermediary in buying and selling firearms, arrested in Ukui Sub-district, Pelalawan on February 20, 2026.
7 Suspects from outside the region:
- AR (39), role of intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
- AC (40), role of intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
- FS (43), role of financier and ivory dealer, arrested in Surabaya on February 22, 2026
- ME (49), role of intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Jakarta on February 22, 2026
- SA (39), role of intermediary in ivory transactions, arrested in Kudus on February 23, 2026
- JS (47), role of intermediary in ivory transactions and dealer of ivory cigarette pipes, arrested in Solo on February 23, 2026
- HA (42), role of intermediary in ivory transactions and ivory cigarette pipes, arrested in Solo on February 23, 2026
Meanwhile, Riau Police currently lists three suspects as persons of interest, identified as AN, GL, and RB. They are alleged to have been involved in shooting and decapitating the elephant, as well as dealing in its ivory.
 Barang bukti dalam kasus pembunuhan gajah di Pelalawan, Riau, Selasa (3/3/2026). Foto: Mei Amelia/detikcom |
2. Key Player in Wildlife Poaching Network
Inspector General Herry stated that FA is the key player connecting field executors with a cross-provincial trading network. The investigation revealed that the ivory had changed hands several times before being processed into cigarette pipes.
“From this point, the distribution continued through a number of intermediaries to Jakarta, Surabaya, and Central Java, with the transaction value continuing to increase to more than Rp 125 million,” said Inspector General Herry.
In addition to ivory cigarette pipes, Riau Police also seized 140 kilograms of pangolin scales, tiger claws, and fangs during this operation. This evidence strongly supports FA’s involvement in wildlife poaching in several regions of Indonesia.
The police chief said this arrest from the source to the end user is a historic moment for Riau Police. “Thank God, for the first time in the history of Riau Province, we were able to uncover it from the source to the end user,” he added.
Inspector General Herry Heryawan emphasized that the death of a Sumatran elephant is not just a criminal event. However, the death of the elephant has caused pain to all parties.
He explained the importance of an elephant as a balancer of nature and its ecosystem. If three elephants die, the other ecosystems are also threatened with extinction.
 Konferensi Pers di Polda Riau terkait pengungkapan pembunuhan gajah di Kecamatan Ukui, Kabupaten Pelalawan, Selasa (3/2/2026). Foto: dok. Polda Riau |
3. How the Poaching Network Operated
Riau Police revealed the brutality of the Sumatran elephant poaching syndicate that was found dead without a head in the concession area of PT RAPP’s Ukui District, Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui Sub-district, Pelalawan Regency. The suspects shot the wild elephant to death and then cut off its head with an axe.
The elephant was killed on January 25, 2026, around 3:00 PM. Initially, suspect AN (person of interest) shot the elephant twice in the head.
“Then, suspect RA, along with AN (person of interest), cut off part of the head using an axe and knife owned by RA until 8:00 PM,” said Director of Special Criminal Investigation of Riau Police Commissioner Ade Kuncoro during a press conference at Riau Police Headquarters in Pekanbaru on Tuesday, March 3.
 Polda Riau menggelar konferensi pers pengungkapan kasus pembunuhan gajah Sumatera di Kecamatan Ukui, Kabupaten Pelalawan, Selasa (3/3/2026). Foto: Mei Amelia/detikcom |
4. Ivory Sold for Hundreds of Thousands of Rupiah
Ade Kuncoro explained that the syndicate took the elephant’s ivory, weighing approximately 7.6 kilograms. Around 9:00 PM, suspect RA contacted FA, the financier and ivory dealer, requesting assistance in picking up the elephant’s ivory.
“Suspect FA picked up the ivory at Ukui Sub-district and gave Rp 30 million to suspect RA,” he added.
After receiving the ivory, suspect FA then cut it into four pieces in the backyard of his house at the request of suspect HY (74). HY is an ivory dealer and intermediary, who was secured in Padang Panjang Regency, West Sumatra on February 19, 2026.
“If sold again through several hands, it could reach more than Rp 130 million,” he said.
 Kapolda Riau Irjen Herry Heryawan menunjukkan gading gajah hasil perburuan liar di Kecamatan Ukui, Kabupaten Pelalawan, Selasa (3/2/2026). Foto: dok. Polda Riau |
5. Evidence Including Elephant Ivory and Pangolin Scales
Evidence bearing witness to the murder of the headless elephant was displayed during a press conference at Riau Police Headquarters, attended by Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, National Police Public Relations Division Head Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, Acting Governor of Riau SF Haryanto, Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan, Head of the Main Investigation Directorate of the National Police Inspector General M Zulkarnain, Commander of the XIX/Udayana Military Command Major General TNI Agus Hadi Waluyo, Head of the Riau High Prosecutor’s Office Sutikno, Member of Commission III of the DPR RI M Rahul, Head of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Suparyanto.
Also present were Riau Police Deputy Chief Brigadier General Hengki Haryadi, Director of Special Criminal Investigation of Riau Police Commissioner Ade Kuncowo Wahyu, Director of General Criminal Investigation of Riau Police Commissioner Hasyim Risahondua, Pelalawan Police Chief AKBP John Louis Letedara, Mayor of Pekanbaru Agung Haryanto, Chairman of the Malay Customary Institution (LAMR) of Riau Datuk Seri Raja Marjohan Yusuf, celebrity and elephant conservationist Davina Veronica Hariadi, and elephant conservation activist Rahel Yosi.
During a review by detikcom at Riau Police on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the evidence was displayed on a table. Among the items were two improvised firearms, 798 rounds of various caliber ammunition, six casings of 5.56 mm caliber bullets, a hacksaw, a mortar shell, three long-barreled firearm stocks, 10 magazines, four firearm silencers, three telescopes with mounts, two firearm lasers, three firearm barrels, and firearm grips.
two bottles of firearm cleaning oil, two hunting jackets, shipping documents (AWB and consignment note), and transportation vehicles, including two Kanzen motorcycles and one Mitsubishi Triton BM-888-TAN, used to transport the elephant ivory, were seized.
Other important evidence included the elephant skull, 63 ivory cigarette pipes made from the ivory. In addition to the evidence related to the elephant poaching, police also seized 140 kilograms of pangolin scales, four plastic bags containing tiger claws, and 12 tiger fangs.
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