SURABAYA, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities said Wednesday (Apr 15) they have arrested six people allegedly involved in smuggling endangered Komodo dragons native to the archipelago and destined for Thailand.
Two suspects were arrested in February in the port city of Surabaya on the east coast of Java island as they got off a ship with three live Komodo dragons – the world’s largest living lizard.
Further investigation led to four more arrests in the weeks that followed.
Police said the animals had been obtained from “suppliers or hunters” in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, where they are native to a handful of small islands.
The suspects are accused of buying the dragons for 5.5 million rupiah (about US$320) apiece and selling them for six times the price, apparently to be shipped to clients in Thailand.
According to East Java police, the suspects have smuggled and traded at least 20 Komodo dragons since January last year, and pocketed some US$33,000.
They face up to five years in prison and a fine.
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