Indonesian police arrested four men after over 100 exotic local birds were found stuffed inside plastic pipes, ready to be smuggled for sale by a suspected wildlife-trafficking ring. The 41 endangered white cockatoos and 84 eclectus parrots were found on Monday following a raid in Labuha, North Maluku, as the authorities clamp down on the lucrative illegal trade of birds in the country, which is home to 131 threatened bird species. Exotic birds are usually poached and trafficked by smuggling gangs for sale as pets and as status symbols, reported Agence France-Presse. The birds are sold in giant avian markets in Indonesia's major cities, or smuggled abroad. The Philippines may have been the destination for the birds recovered on Monday because the suspects are linked to "a parrot-smuggling network there", said Mr Dwi Adhiasto of the Wildlife Conservation Society. The men face a maximum five years in prison and a 100 million rupiah (S$10,020) fine if found guilty.