Anson Wong: notorious wildlife smuggler arrested in Kuala Lumpur

Lizard King animal smuggler snared
AFP Sydney Morning Herald 28 Aug 10;

Malaysia has arrested a notorious wildlife smuggler after the man tried to smuggle about 100 live snakes to neighbouring Indonesia, police and reports say.

Anson Wong, who has earned the nickname of Lizard King for smuggling wildlife, in particular reptiles, was detained by police at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday night.

Wong, reportedly in his 50s, was nabbed after airline staff were alerted to a piece of broken luggage that was found to contain live snakes of various species.

International wildlife smuggler held at KLIA
Serean Lau, Ong Han Sean, Lee Yen Mun and Andrew Sagayam The Star 28 Aug 10;

SEPANG: A man, believed to be international wildlife trader Anson Wong, has been detained at the KL International Airport following the seizure of more than 90 snakes from various species.

It is learnt that the man was in transit from Penang to Jakarta on Thursday when he was detained by Malaysia Airlines staff, who had been alerted after a piece of luggage was reported broken. The snakes were found inside the bag.

According to a government official, 95 of the snakes are believed to be boa constrictors, two are suspected to be rhinoceros vipers and one is believed to be a matamata turtle.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that a man named Anson Wong was picked up at 8.50pm on Aug 26, by airport security for allegedly trying to smuggle snakes. He has been remanded until Tuesday.

“We have handed the person over to Perhilitan (Wildlife and Natio­nal Parks Department) for further investigations,” he said.

It had been reported by The Star in February that Wong had been linked to a Dec 15 seizure in the United States of various types of animals from an exotic animal outlet.

Two of the trader’s companies were found to have been supplying animals to the outlet.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) had claimed that CBS Wildlife and Sungai Rusa Wildlife, both owned by Wong, were supplying various types of animals and wildlife to US Global Exotics (USGE).

Wong pleaded guilty to trafficking in wildlife in the US and was sentenced to 71 months’ jail in 2000.

Boas, vipers and mata-mata turtle among smuggler’s loot
Teh Eng Hock The Star 29 Aug 10;

PETALING JAYA: The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Per­hilitan) has confirmed detaining international wildlife trader Anson Wong at the KL International Airport (KLIA) on Aug 26.

Wong’s luggage broke on the conveyor belt and, upon inspection by Malaysia Airlines personnel, many snakes and a turtle were found, the department said in a press statement yesterday.

Perhilitan was then contacted and officers found 95 boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and a mata-mata turtle.

The statement said Wong would be remanded until Aug 31 to facilitate investigation.

It is learnt that he was on transit from Penang to Jakarta when he was caught.

He has a record for wildlife trafficking and was jailed in the United States for 71 months in 2000.

The statement added that the boa constrictor was listed in Appendix II of the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 and Wong could be fined a maximum of RM100,000 for each animal or imprisoned up to seven years or both.

Wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia want the authorities to probe Wong for trading illegally in wildlife.

Commending the authorities on the arrest of Wong, they urged Malaysia to strictly enforce the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008, a legislation that regulates international trade of wild animals and plants.

“This matter cannot be taken lightly. Malaysia must rise to the challenge to rival those fearlessly involved in wildlife smuggling.

“Their attempt at mocking Ma­­laysia’s legal system must be dealt with head-on.

“There is no excuse to be lax on a criminal offence of any nature,” said TRAFFIC South­east Asia senior programme officer Kanitha Krishnasamy.

WWF Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysious Sharma said that as a convicted wildlife smuggler, Wong should be given the maximum penalty under the CITES (Convention on Inter­national Trade in Endangered Species) Act, including revoking all his permits to trade wildlife if found guilty.

“We look forward to the Wildlife Department and the Malaysian judiciary working together to prosecute this offender to the full extent of the law,” he said.

Enforce CITES Act, clamp down illegal wildlife trade
WWF 28 Aug 10;

Kuala Lumpur, 28 August - The opportunity has arrived for Malaysia to step up and put an end to illegal wildlife smugglers thriving in Malaysia; sullying the name of the country.

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and WWF-Malaysia commend the Malaysia Airlines security staff and other enforcement authorities for being vigilant and successfully defeating yet another attempt for smuggling wildlife.
This case is yet another manifestation of Malaysia’s role as an illegal wildlife hub; be it as a source, destination or transit point.

A species from the Americas, the Boa Constrictor for which known wildlife trader Anson Wong was found with, is listed under Schedule One of Malaysia’s International Trade in Endangered Species in Act, for which trade is prohibited and regulated accordingly. Wong was also found with what is believed to be Rhinoceros Vipers and a Mata Mata Turtle. All Boa constrictors are listed in Appendix I or II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), and is therefore regulated or prohibited from international commercial trade.

Malaysia officials are urged to enforce its International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008, a legislation that regulates international trade of wild animals and plants. Under Section 12 of the Act, any person who is found in possession of a scheduled species commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of up to RM 1 million, or to imprisonment for a term of up to seven years.

“This matter cannot be taken lightly. Malaysia must rise to the challenge to rival those involved in wildlife smuggling. Their attempt at cheating Malaysia’s legal system must be dealt with head-on.” said Kanitha Krishnasamy, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Senior Programme Officer. “There is no excuse to be lax on a criminal offence of any nature”.

This offence can be further penalised under Section 13 for individuals found to be in transit with a scheduled species, and Section 10 for exporting or importing scheduled species without a permit. Offenders can be punished through multiple charges under the law.

“As a convicted wildlife smuggler who was imprisoned in the U.S federal prison for 71 months, Anson Wong should be given the maximum penalty under the CITES Act, including revocation of all his permits to trade wildlife should he be found guilty, again. We look forward to the Wildlife Department and the Malaysian judiciary working together to prosecute this offender to the full extent of the law,” said Datuk Dr Dionysious Sharma, CEO of WWF-Malaysia.

As was made clear in the recent prosecution of two Malagasy women smuggling CITES- listed species, Malaysia no longer tolerates crimes of this sort. TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and WWF-Malaysia strongly urge that further investigations be carried out to clamp-down all establishments linked to this case and other operations that could possibly be used as a front for illegal wildlife trade.

Malaysia uncovers nearly 100 live reptiles in bag
Reuters 30 Aug 10;

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian airport security arrested a convicted wildlife smuggler after finding almost 100 live reptiles in his luggage, the country's Wildlife and National Parks Department said.

Anson Wong, already convicted of trafficking in wildlife in the United States, was in transit from the Malaysian island state of Penang to the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Thursday when Malaysia Airlines staff at Kuala Lumpur airport were alerted to a bag that had broken while on a conveyor belt.

The department, in a statement issued late on Saturday, said its enforcement officers found 95 boa constrictors, two rhinoceros vipers and a matamata turtle inside the luggage.

Boa constrictors are subject to regulations or a complete ban in international commercial trade as they are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

The statement said Wong would remain in detention for two days. Under Malaysian law, if found guilty, he could face seven years in jail and fines of up to 100,000 ringgit ($32,000) for each animal or both.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Wong had previously pleaded guilty to a trafficking in the United States in 2001 and was sentenced to 71 months in jail.

TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring organization, said Malaysia must "rise to the challenge" of confronting new evidence of its role as an hub for those engaged in wildlife smuggling.

"Their attempt at mocking Malaysia's legal system must be dealt with head-on," said Kanitha Krishnasamy, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Senior Programme Officer.

On Friday, Thai customs officials found a two-month-old tiger stashed in a bag filled with tiger toys which had been checked in for an international passenger flight.

(Reporting by Royce Cheah; Editing by Ron Popeski)