Indonesia foils wildlife smuggling and reports gambling-linked divorce surge

Indonesian authorities have intercepted an attempt to smuggle eight endemic monitor lizards through Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. A South Korean national, identified as JJ, was caught with six Green Monitor Lizards and two Aru Monitor Lizards concealed in cloth bags inside a suitcase. The Ministry of Forestry, in coordination with Customs and Quarantine, has named the individual a suspect.

Separately, the Tigaraksa Religious Court in Tangerang reported a significant link between online gambling and rising divorce rates. Between January and August 2026, over 5,000 divorce cases were filed in the Tangerang Regency and South Tangerang City. Officials noted that many disputes are triggered by the economic instability caused by online gambling addiction, leading to domestic conflicts.