Police detail Komodo trafficking arrests in East Manggarai

Kupang — — Police in East Nusa Tenggara and East Java have arrested two men from East Manggarai who are allegedly part of an international network trafficking Komodo dragons from Flores toward Thailand, according to police statements reported by national and regional media on 7–9 April 2026.

The suspects, identified as Ruslan and Junaidin Yusuf, are accused of capturing and selling protected Komodo dragons from the Pota area in Sambi Rampas district, East Manggarai, to a buyer in Surabaya as part of a wider chain aimed at supplying the animals to markets in Southeast Asia, including Thailand.

East Manggarai Police criminal investigation chief Inspector Ahmad Zacky Shodri said his officers backed the East Java Regional Police’s special crimes directorate in securing the two suspects on Flores. He stated that the men are believed to be part of a distribution chain in an illegal wildlife trade network that operates across regions and extends overseas.

Arrest timeline

Reports from East Nusa Tenggara and East Java indicate that Ruslan was arrested first, on Sunday, 29 March 2026, at his home in Londang hamlet, Nanga Baur village, Sambi Rampas district, East Manggarai. The arrest was carried out under an order issued by the East Java Police’s special criminal investigation directorate, with local police providing operational support.

After Ruslan’s detention, investigators pursued Junaidin Yusuf. Media reports citing police accounts say Junaidin fled for three days before surrendering at Sambi Rampas police station on Friday, 3 April 2026. Both men were then placed under the authority of East Java investigators for further questioning.

According to police information relayed at press conferences in Surabaya and Kupang, the case stems from a wider investigation into the illegal capture and sale of Komodo dragons from East Manggarai between January 2025 and early 2026. In that period, members of the alleged network are suspected of trading live Komodo dragons from Pota, Sambi Rampas, to Surabaya, with some animals believed to have been smuggled on to Thailand.

Alleged trafficking network

Police in East Java described the operation as an international syndicate that supplied Komodo dragons to the black market in Southeast Asia, with Thailand cited among the destinations. Media reporting on their statements indicates that several suspects beyond Ruslan and Junaidin have been identified in connection with the trade, including alleged middlemen and buyers in Surabaya.

East Nusa Tenggara police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Henry Novika Chandra said authorities view cases involving protected wildlife and cross-border trafficking as serious crimes, and urged residents to report suspicious activity related to the capture or sale of rare species.

Police and conservation-focused outlets have warned that the illegal removal of Komodo dragons from their natural habitat threatens both the species and the wider ecosystem in East Manggarai and surrounding areas. Komodo dragons are endemic to Indonesia and occur naturally on a limited number of islands, including parts of Flores such as Pota in East Manggarai district.

As of the latest reporting in April and May 2026, authorities have disclosed that multiple Komodo dragons were captured and traded in the broader case, and that some are suspected to have reached markets outside Indonesia. Detailed information on how many animals were seized in connection specifically with Ruslan and Junaidin’s arrests, their current condition, and the precise charges filed against each suspect has not been fully set out in the reports consulted.

Sources

• RRI – Authorities Reveal Komodo Dragon Trafficking Scheme
• Detik – Komodo yang Dicuri dan Dijual di Surabaya Hendak Diselundupkan ke Thailand
• MetroTV News – Polisi Bongkar Jaringan Internasional Penyelundupan Komodo ke Thailand
• MetroTV Jatim – Ditreskrimsus Polda Jatim Ungkap Penyelundupan Komodo dari NTT, Dua Orang Dikabarkan Jadi Tersangka
• Periskop – Komodo Bisa Berenang ke Thailand? Polisi Ungkap Sindikat Penyelundupan Satwa
• IDN Times – Sindikat Perdagangan Komodo Terbongkar, 20 Satwa Langka NTT Terlanjur Dijual
• CNN Indonesia – 20 Komodo NTT Diselundupkan ke Thailand, Nilai Jual Capai Rp10 Miliar
• Mongabay – Indonesia busts wildlife trafficking ring targeting Komodo dragons
• Tribun Jatim – Kasus Sindikat Penyelundupan Komodo ke Pasar Internasional, Pelaku Rusak CCTV Pengawas