Jakarta, October 19, 2025 — The Europe Today: Indonesia has been recognized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) with two prestigious awards for its outstanding achievements in combating transboundary environmental crimes through law enforcement efforts.
Deputy for Pollution Control and Environmental Damage at the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Rasio Ridho Sani, announced that Indonesia received the Asia Environmental Enforcement Recognition of Excellence (AEEE) awards for the 2023–2024 period, acknowledging the Directorate General of Law Enforcement’s exemplary performance.
“This award is a recognition for all law enforcement officers and partner institutions who have dedicated themselves to protecting Indonesia’s environment and natural resources,” Sani stated on Saturday.
Indonesia received the Collaboration Award for its joint efforts in addressing the oil pollution case involving the supertanker MT Arman 114 between 2023 and 2024. The operation involved coordinated action by the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), the Riau Islands High Prosecutor’s Office, the Batam District Prosecutor’s Office, and the Batam City Immigration Office.
The case concluded with the conviction of the vessel’s captain, who was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Rp5 billion (US$292,000). Additionally, the ship and its 166,975.63 metric tons of crude oil were confiscated by the state — marking one of the most significant verdicts in Indonesian marine environmental law enforcement history.
The second accolade, in the Impact Category, honored the success of the Ujung Kulon National Park Operations Task Force, which dismantled a large-scale poaching and illegal trade network targeting the critically endangered Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus).
The task force — comprising the Directorate General of Law Enforcement, the Ujung Kulon National Park Office, and the Banten Regional Police — arrested nine perpetrators, including seven poachers and two rhinoceros horn buyers, and seized 390 homemade weapons. The courts handed down historic sentences for wildlife crimes in Indonesia, with the poachers receiving 11–12 years of imprisonment and the buyers 1–4 years.
Further investigations uncovered a secondary illegal trade network involving eight rhinoceros horns in Palembang, South Sumatra, resulting in additional four-year prison sentences for those involved.
The AEEE Awards, initiated by UNEP in partnership with INTERPOL, CITES, and UNDP, aim to recognize excellence and impact in addressing complex and cross-border environmental cases across Asia.
Through these achievements, Indonesia continues to demonstrate its strong commitment to environmental protection and law enforcement against crimes that threaten biodiversity and natural resources.