FACTSHEETCRIME CONVERGENCE IN INDONESIA

• Cross-border smuggling at the porous West Kalimantan-Sarawak land border enables the illegal movement of wildlife, timber, drugs, and other goods between Indonesia and Malaysia, complicating enforcement. 

• Fishing vessels are often used to transport illegal timber, gold and wildlife to evade detection.  

• Key ports and airports act as smuggling hotspots for illegal natural commodities, domestically and internationally. 

Hotspots 

West Kalimantan 

This region’s unique geographic location, rich natural resources and hidden trade routes make it a hotspot for smuggling endangered wildlife, timber, and gold, both in Indonesia and abroad. Local communities were found to poach animals, cut down trees illegally, and mine for gold, while the smuggling itself is more organised with larger networks moving these goods across the region and beyond. 

The port and airport at Pontianak are key transit points, which facilitate the movement of illegal commodities. Roads and waterways also enable traffickers to evade detection, with, for example, timber being trafficked via river systems into Malaysia. 

East Java 

A hub for trade and processing, East Java sees the convergence of illegal gold, timber, wildlife and fisheries products. Surabaya serves as a vital hub, with its port and airport serving to amplify the region’s role in inter-island and international trafficking. Protected wildlife, illegal timber, gold, and fisheries products like sea cucumbers and lobster seeds are trafficked through East Java, often laundered into legal supply chains. These items are illegally sourced from across Indonesia and exported to international markets. 

Regulatory hurdles 

Contradictory overlapping permits and regulations, weak penalties and prosecution rates, and limited enforcement undermine efforts to combat illegal activities.