Indonesian authorities have arrested four people accused of trafficking elephant ivory disguised as smoking pipes and sold on TikTok and Facebook.
The suspects were arrested in separate operations in the cities of Sukabumi, West Java and Jakarta, according to Brigadier General Nunung Syaifuddin of the National Police’s Directorate of Special Economic Crimes.
Two of the suspects were caught conducting a live sales session on TikTok, where they allegedly promoted smoking pipes made from elephant tusk.
Officers seized about 300 ivory pipes and eight pieces of elephant tusk, along with mobile phones, bank books and livestreaming equipment.
All trade in elephant ivory is banned in Indonesia under the country’s wildlife conservation laws, which align with international efforts to protect endangered species.
Asian elephants are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with their populations threatened by habitat loss and poaching for ivory.
While the physical sale of ivory has been driven underground in many countries, conservation groups have warned traders are increasingly moving online, where enforcement is more difficult.
A 2022 report by the wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC highlighted Indonesia as one of several countries where online ivory trading has been increasing despite regulatory crackdowns.
If convicted, the suspects could face prison sentences under Indonesia’s conservation laws, which carry penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and substantial fines.