EAST NUSA TENGGARA, Indonesia — Indonesian police have arrested two men accused of stealing a Komodo dragon from its natural habitat and selling it as part of an illegal wildlife trafficking chain that allegedly aimed to smuggle the animal to Thailand.
The suspects, identified as Ruslan and Junaidin Yusuf (30), were detained in East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, following a joint investigation involving regional police and authorities in East Java.
According to police, the adult Komodo dragon was captured in 2025 in Pota, Sambi Rampas district—an area known as one of the species’ rare habitats outside Komodo National Park.
The location is managed by Indonesia’s Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA). Investigators say the suspects disabled surveillance systems during the operation by removing a CCTV camera before taking the animal.
The Komodo dragon was later transported by sea to Surabaya, where it was sold to a receiver identified as “R” for approximately 5 million rupiah (around $300). Authorities believe the transaction was part of a larger plan to traffic the protected species abroad.
“The Komodo was intended to be smuggled to Thailand,” said Iptu Ahmad Zacky Shodri, head of criminal investigations at East Manggarai Police.
The attempted smuggling was ultimately intercepted by East Java Police, who uncovered the transaction and coordinated with authorities in East Nusa Tenggara to track down and arrest the suspects.
Police have confirmed that the buyer in Surabaya has also been detained and named as a suspect in the case.
Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are a protected species and are found only in a limited number of locations in Indonesia. The illegal trade of such wildlife remains a persistent concern for conservation authorities, particularly as international demand continues to drive trafficking networks.
The investigation is ongoing.
