A langur is seen inside a cage after being rescued in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Feb. 17, 2021. Indonesia's East Java provincial police and the local natural resources conservation center have thwarted the sale of 24 protected animals, a police officer has said. The police seized 15 Moluccan cockatoos, one crested hawk-eagle, and eight East Javan langurs, the East Java provincial police's spokesman Senior Commissioner Gatot Repli Handoko said in a press statement. Photo: Xinhua

Indonesia's East Java provincial police and the local natural resources conservation center have thwarted the sale of 24 protected animals, a police officer has said.

The police seized 15 Moluccan cockatoos, one crested hawk-eagle, and eight East Javan langurs, the East Java provincial police's spokesman Senior Commissioner Gatot Repli Handoko said in a press statement in the province's capital of Surabaya on Wednesday.

Handoko said in the case, the police also arrested three persons in different places, namely NR in Sidoarjo district as well as VPE and NK both in Kediri city.

He said the plot to sell the rare animals was revealed following information from a person who said in social media that there was an online sale of the species.

According to the person, the animals have been sent to East Java's Center for Natural Resources Conservation for further legal process.

In the case, the three suspects shall face the law on conservation of natural resources and the ecosystems, and a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to 100 million rupiahs (some $7,123.41).