Riau BBKSDA Catches Tiger Skin Dealer

Pekanbaru, Riau, March 4 (ANTARA) - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) of Riau Province has caught a tiger skin dealer and seized the skin of a whole tiger from him as evidence.

"The dealer is believed to be a member of a rare animal trading syndicate," Riau BBKSDA chief Syahimin said here Friday.

The dealer, identified by his initial as P, was caught in Payakumbuh, West Sumatra, on Friday morning by Riau BBKSDA officers in cooperation with the West Sumatra BKSDA.

The suspect was caught red-handed in the middle of a transaction with a courier who had brought the peeled skin of a tiger apparently killed in the Bukit Rimbang Baling Wildlife reserve in Kampar District, Riau Province.

"The Bukit Rimbang Baling Wildlife reserve is the habitat of tigers that are being endangered by illegal hunting activities and forest trampling," Syahimin said.

The arrest was successfully conducted after a long-term observation by the Riau BBKSDA about the movement of the tiger skin courier.

The suspect was now detained at the Payakumbuh Police station for questioning, he said.

However, Syahimin failed to confirm whether the courier was also caught or not.

According to Syahimin, the suspect had violated the 1990 Law no.5 about the natural resource and ecosystem conservation.