Farouk Arnaz Jakarta Globe 28 Feb 11;
Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry in conjunction with the National Police have arrested a man for allegedly possessing body parts from protected species, including tigers, for sale.
Rafles D. Pandjaitan, director of forest protection and investigation at the ministry, told the Jakarta Globe that Abi Kossim Makki, 43, was arrested at his home in West Jakarta last week and was being detained at National Police headquarters.
Pandjaitan said investigators had seized the fur and teeth of tigers, a bear’s head, a deer’s antlers and a crocodile’s penis worth millions of rupiah.
He said, for example, that a tiger’s tooth, which could be used to make a ring or pendent, could sell for Rp 5 million ($570).
Pandjaitan said Makki sourced the animal parts from other collectors or directly from hunters in Sumatra or Kalimantan.
He faces charges that carry a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of Rp 200 million.
Makki, who sold the body parts on the Internet, was caught in a sting operation.
Indonesia arrests trader over rare animal parts
Yahoo News 28 Feb 11;
JAKARTA (AFP) – Indonesian police have arrested a man for allegedly selling body parts from protected species online, including tiger skins and crocodile genitals, an official said Thursday.
Police detained the man last week in western Jakarta and confiscated animal parts including a bear?s head, deer antlers and a crocodile?s penis, conservation official Darori told AFP.
"He was also selling skins, claws, teeth and even the whiskers of the endangered Sumatran tiger as souvenirs," he said.
"He sold the parts online to foreign buyers. We don't know how much he sold them for but they can fetch millions of rupiah (hundreds of dollars)," he added.
The suspect, who faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted of illegal trading, might be a part of global network of dealers in wildlife parts, Darori said.
There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, according to conservationists.
