Buleleng, Eyewitness| The Bali Regional Police’s Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle and trade protected wildlife, the green turtle, off the coast of Buleleng Regency.
During the operation, officers secured 21 live green turtles and one suspected perpetrator on Friday, June 19, 2026.
The successful resolution of this case was confirmed by the Head of the Bali Regional Police’s Law Enforcement Sub-Directorate, AKBP Nanang Pri Hasmoko, S.T., S.H., M.H., with permission from the Bali Regional Police’s Water and Air Police Directorate, Senior Commissioner Nurodin, S.I.K., M.H.
AKBP Nanang conveyed the disclosure based on Police Report Number: LP/A/7/VI/2026/SPKT.DITPOLAIRUD/POLDA BALI, dated June 11, 2026.
“It began with a report from residents of the Pegametan coast who suspected illegal turtle trading activity in their area. Following up on this information, the Subditgakkum Ditpolairud team immediately conducted an investigation,” said AKBP Nanang.
On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at approximately 10:00 PM WITA, police conducted a raid on the Pegametan coast, Sumberkima Village, Gerokgak, Buleleng.
At the location, officers caught and arrested a man with the initials KS (67). The elderly man from Seririt District is strongly suspected of holding or storing protected animals prior to their distribution.
?From initial interrogation, the suspect admitted that the 21 green turtles were sent by someone named Iwan from the waters of Madura, East Java. The suspect was tasked with receiving the turtles at Pegametan Beach, where they were later collected and resold by another perpetrator named Kmg.
?Currently, the police have arrested one suspect, KS, a 67-year-old man (already arrested), at Br. Yadnya Kerthi, Ularan, Seririt, Buleleng. They are hunting for two other suspects who have been listed as wanted suspects: Iwan, a 30-year-old man from Madura, East Java, as the supplier (DPO), and KMG, a 35-year-old man from Buleleng, as the receiver for resale (DPO).
From the suspects, officers managed to secure several pieces of evidence from the crime scene to the Bali Regional Police’s Water Police Headquarters (Mako Ditpolairud). These include 21 live green turtles and a gray Nokia HMD cellphone used for the transaction.
In handling this case, the police have also questioned several witnesses and charged the suspect with multiple articles related to wildlife protection, namely Article 40A paragraph (1) letter d in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 32 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems in conjunction with Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustments.
?Based on these laws, the suspect faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of at least category IV and up to category VII for being found guilty of hunting, capturing, keeping, possessing, caring for, and/or trading protected wildlife while alive.
?”Currently, the suspect and the evidence are at the Bali Regional Police’s Water Police Headquarters to undergo the investigation process and develop the case to pursue other perpetrators’ networks,” said AKBP Nanang.
