Sinergitas Kepolisian dan Balai Pengamanan dan Penegakan Hukum Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (BPPHLHK) dalam Pengungkapan Tindak Pidana Perdagangan Satwa yang Dilindungi di Wilayah Sumatera Utara

Abstract

Indonesian is one of the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world, including a wide range of protected wildlife species under national legislation. However, the increasing prevalence of protected wildlife trade both through conventional means and online platforms poses a serious threat to species conservation and ecosystem balance. This illegal trade not only violates national laws but also undermines Indonesia’s commitment to global environmental protection. This study aims to address three main research questions: how is the legal regulation of criminal acts concerning the trade in protected wildlife in Indonesia; how is the authority and function of police investigators and civil servant investigators at the Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement and Security Agency (BPPHLHK) regulated; and what is the nature of the synergy between these two institutions, as well as the challenges encountered in uncovering criminal acts of protected wildlife trade in North Sumatra. This research employs a normative-empirical legal method, using a juridical approach and field data collection through interviews with officials from the North Sumatra Regional Police and BPPHLHK officers. The findings reveal that, despite the presence of strong legal frameworks such as Law Number 32 of 2024 on the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, the implementation of law enforcement still faces several obstacles. These include limited human resources, weak inter-agency coordination, and suboptimal use of technology in surveillance and investigation systems. Therefore, effective and sustainable synergy between police investigators and civil servant investigators from BPPHLHK is essential to ensure the comprehensive and effective enforcement of laws against the illegal trade of protected wildlife.