komodo dragon

6 Perpetrators Arrested of Stealing Rare Baby Komodo Dragon from National Park

Share:

On 30 October 2023, a gang of smugglers abducted a baby Komodo dragon from Komodo National Park in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara. They concealed the reptile in a banana truck, planning its escape at the Labuan Bajo ASDP crossing port.

Six individuals have been apprehended and charged with participating in an illegal animal trafficking operation. As per one of the suspects’ confessions, these baby Komodo dragons were intended to be transported to Surabaya after being stolen from  Kerora Village, Pasir Panjang Village, Rinca Island.

 

@nttbacaritanew1Badan Karantina Pertanian Wilayah Kerja Labuan Bajo berhasil gagalkan upaya penyeludupan anak Komodo di Pelabuhan Penyebrangan ASDP Labuan Bajo. Satu pelaku berhasil diamankan bersama barang bukti satu ekor anak Komodo yang hendak di bawah ke Bima, NTB♬ suara asli – nttbacaritanew.


The culprits employed a clever tactic, concealing the juvenile Komodo dragon within a sock and placing it inside a bag. This bag was then entrusted to the owner of the banana truck to facilitate its transportation to Bali via sea.

During a routine inspection, the bag appeared to be in motion, arousing the suspicion of the port officer. Consequently, the officers promptly collaborated with the West Manggarai police to apprehend the wrongdoer.

Five Incidents of Komodo Baby Dragon Theft Throughout 2023

Komodo Dragon
Source: Bali Safari

This incident of smuggling baby Komodo dragons wasn’t an isolated occurrence for the main suspect. One of the principal individuals, identified by the initials “H,” disclosed that this marked his fifth theft.

He confessed to carrying out this activity twice in June 2023, twice in September 2023, and once in October 2023. He marketed the Komodo dragons in Bali and Java, with only three out of the five baby Komodo dragons he captured successfully finding buyers.

According to the statements made by the perpetrators, the initial “H”, disclosed that a single baby Komodo dragon commanded a substantial price, reaching as high as 28 million rupiah. Furthermore, he offered substantial bonuses, often amounting to millions of rupiah, to his associates when they successfully stole a live Komodo dragon.

In accordance with the provisions of Law number 5 of 1990 regarding the Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems, as specified in Article 21, paragraph 2, letter A, those involved in the smuggling of endangered species could face a five-year prison sentence and a maximum fine of 100 million rupiah.

The Komodo Dragon is a Nearly Extinct Endemic Species

komodo dragon
Source: Komodo Shuttle

The Komodo dragon, an ancient creature, is a member of the substantial monitor lizard species, inhabiting the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Gili Dasami in East Nusa Tenggara. 

According to the latest data from the Komodo National Park Office, as of 2022, a mere 3,156 of these komodo dragons remain. Over the past five years, their population has seen a significant decline due to the surge in rare animal smuggling cases. 

This species is afforded the highest level of protection due to its slow reproductive rate, making it exceedingly challenging to preserve its ecosystem in the present era.

Interested in this topic? Check out our other articles from Social Expat!

Content Writer

Yuriz absolutely loves content writing and exploring the nitty-gritty of various topics. It all started by chance, but writing quickly became an essential part of her life! Plus, she is a huge K-pop fan, jamming out to it all day, every day!

Related News

United States President Donald Trump has confirmed the imposition of a 32% import tariff on all Indonesian products entering the US market, with the new rate coming into effect on 1 August 2025. The announcement was made through a series of posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday, 7 July (US time), […]

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, erupted twice on Monday, 7 July 2025, causing significant disruption to air travel across multiple airports in the region. The eruption produced an ash column as high as 18,000 metres during the first blast at 11:05 WITA, followed by a second eruption at 19:32 WITA that […]

Heavy rainfall on Monday afternoon, July 7, 2025, led to widespread flooding across Jakarta and its neighbouring regions. The inundation intensified by Tuesday morning, 8 July, particularly in the capital. According to the latest update from the Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD DKI Jakarta), the number of affected neighbourhood units (RT) increased from 35 […]

The TomTom Traffic Index has released its latest global report on traffic congestion, placing Bandung at the top of the list as the most congested city in Indonesia. The report, published earlier this year, revealed that five Indonesian cities made the national top five ranking based on average travel time per 10 kilometres. Surprisingly, Makassar, […]

Expat Property

Indonesia Visas

Expat Event

Business Networking
150,000
Padi Restaurant and Bar
Business Networking
150,000
Social House
Social Networking Event
150,000
OZONE Bar

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery