Wildlife officials seize five tons of frozen pangolins in Indonesia

Wildlife officials in Indonesia recently confiscated five tons of frozen pangolin carcasses. Image: Paul Hilton

Wildlife officials in Indonesia recently confiscated a staggering five tons of frozen pangolin carcasses in what is believed to be the largest case of pangolin smuggling since 2008. The seizure took place last week at a warehouse near Begawan port in Sumatra and was carried out by the Indonesian National Police along with a team from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Also included in the grisly haul was 77 kilograms (169 lbs) of pangolin scales, 96 live pangolins and 24 bear paws. The smuggler, identified only by the initials SHB, has been taken into custody and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison or a fine of $10,000 USD.

Officials believe that the animals were poached on the island of Sumatra, but the illegal shipment was headed to China to be sold for meat and use in traditional medicine. The total value of the seized shipment is over 1,8 million USD.

"This is a major breakthrough, both in terms of the enormous size of the shipment and in terms of the increasing sophistication of collaborative methods used by Indonesian authorities in making the bust," WCS Executive Director for Asia Programs, Joe Walston told Mongabay.

The 96 live animals were taken to a protected forest on the outskirts of the city where they were released - a small victory for the wildlife officials involved in this monumental bust.

A tiny baby pangolin offers a small glimmer of hope for the wildlife officials involved in this monumental bust. Image: Paul Hilton

Although they are little-known to the general public, pangolins are amongst the most trafficked wild animals in the world. Their scales are sought after for use in traditional Chinese medicine, and their meat is considered a delicacy in East Asia. The animals seized in this bust are Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) - a species listed as critically endangered by the IUCN with populations being decimated as a result of this kind of rampant poaching. Of the four species of pangolins found in Asia, all are listed as either Endangered or Critically Endangered.
 
Photojournalist Paul Hilton documented the almost unbelievable bust as well as the release of the live pangolins and the destruction of the pangolin carcasses (Warning: some of these images are graphic):

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A pangolin waits for its freedom after the massive wildlife bust. Image: Paul Hilton

1 1 Waiting for freedom

Poultry cages full of pangolins line the floor of the seafood warehouse where the bust took place. Image: Paul Hilton

2 2 Pangolin in poultry cages

A total of 96 live pangolins were found in the warehouse. Image: Paul Hilton

3 3 96 pangolins

Frozen pangolins stripped of their scales. Image: Paul Hilton

4 4 Stripped of their scales

A total of 77 kilograms (169 lbs) of pangolin scales were seized. Image: Paul Hilton

5 5 Scales and carcasses

Over five tons of frozen pangolin carcasses were confiscated in the bust. Image: Paul Hilton

6 6 Frozen pangolins

The wildlife seizure is believed to be the biggest pangolin smuggling bust since 2008. Image: Paul Hilton

7 7 Frozen carcasses

Deputy Director Special Crime, CID of the Indonesian National Police, Police Senior Commissioner Didid Widjanardi displays frozen pangolins. Image: Paul Hilton

8 8 Police Commissioner displays pangolins

A plaincloths police officer inspects the frozen pangolins during a press conference at the crime scene. Image: Paul Hilton

9 9 Police on the scene

Bags of pangolin scales ready for export on the black market. Image: Paul Hilton

10 10 Bags of scales

The bust took place near Begawan port, Medan in Sumatra. Image: Paul Hilton

11 11 Belawan Port

One of the 96 live pangolins ready to be released back into the wild. Image: Paul Hilton

12 12 Ready for release

The live pangolins were released in a protected forest on the outskirts of Medan. Image: Paul Hilton

13 13 One of the lucky few

A tiny baby pangolin offers a small glimmer of hope for the wildlife officials involved in this monumental bust. Image: Paul Hilton

14 14 A glimmer of hope

The confiscated pangolin carcasses were transported to a pit several kilometres from the warehouse where they were found. Image: Paul Hilton

15 15 Pangolin pit

3000 to 4000 slaughtered frozen pangolins lying in a pit before being burnt. Image: Paul Hilton

16 16 Destroying the seizure

Thousands of pangolins lay four or five deep in the pit. Image: Paul Hilton

17 17 Five tons of pangolins

The massive haul was burned by wildlife officials. Image: Paul Hilton

18 18 Burning the bodies

Previous Next

A pangolin waits for its freedom after the massive wildlife bust. Image: Paul Hilton

1 Waiting for freedom

Poultry cages full of pangolins line the floor of the seafood warehouse where the bust took place. Image: Paul Hilton

2 Pangolin in poultry cages

A total of 96 live pangolins were found in the warehouse. Image: Paul Hilton

3 96 pangolins

Frozen pangolins stripped of their scales. Image: Paul Hilton

4 Stripped of their scales

A total of 77 kilograms (169 lbs) of pangolin scales were seized. Image: Paul Hilton

5 Scales and carcasses

Over five tons of frozen pangolin carcasses were confiscated in the bust. Image: Paul Hilton

6 Frozen pangolins

The wildlife seizure is believed to be the biggest pangolin smuggling bust since 2008. Image: Paul Hilton

7 Frozen carcasses

Deputy Director Special Crime, CID of the Indonesian National Police, Police Senior Commissioner Didid Widjanardi displays frozen pangolins. Image: Paul Hilton

8 Police Commissioner displays pangolins

A plaincloths police officer inspects the frozen pangolins during a press conference at the crime scene. Image: Paul Hilton

9 Police on the scene

Bags of pangolin scales ready for export on the black market. Image: Paul Hilton

10 Bags of scales

The bust took place near Begawan port, Medan in Sumatra. Image: Paul Hilton

11 Belawan Port

One of the 96 live pangolins ready to be released back into the wild. Image: Paul Hilton

12 Ready for release

The live pangolins were released in a protected forest on the outskirts of Medan. Image: Paul Hilton

13 One of the lucky few

A tiny baby pangolin offers a small glimmer of hope for the wildlife officials involved in this monumental bust. Image: Paul Hilton

14 A glimmer of hope

The confiscated pangolin carcasses were transported to a pit several kilometres from the warehouse where they were found. Image: Paul Hilton

15 Pangolin pit

3000 to 4000 slaughtered frozen pangolins lying in a pit before being burnt. Image: Paul Hilton

16 Destroying the seizure

Thousands of pangolins lay four or five deep in the pit. Image: Paul Hilton

17 Five tons of pangolins

The massive haul was burned by wildlife officials. Image: Paul Hilton

18 Burning the bodies

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