Live animals found in luggage of Malaysian man at Changi Airport

Channel NewsAsia 7 Apr 08;

SINGAPORE: Immigration officers at Changi Airport found 12 frogs, 13 lizards and a clown fish in the luggage of a Malaysian man on Sunday.

X-ray screening showed nothing out of the ordinary, but officers searched his luggage when the man appeared uneasy.

He said the live animals were bought for S$1,300 at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok. He claimed that the frogs were for himself, while the geckos and clown fish were for his friends.

The critters were handed over to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority for investigation.

For trafficking endangered species, offenders can face a fine of up to S$50,000 for each species, and/or a jail term of up to two years.

For smuggling non-endangered animals, offenders can be fined up to S$1,000 per animal. - CNA/ac

Busted trying to smuggle in geckos, frogs
Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times 8 Apr 08;

GECKOS, clown fish and frogs are not the usual souvenirs travellers bring home after a weekend in Bangkok.

But a 26-year-old Singaporean permanent resident was stopped on Sunday for attempting to smuggle 26 live fish and reptiles into the country.

The Malaysian man was caught at 3.50pm at Changi Airport with one clown fish, 13 geckos, six Madagascan burrowing frogs and six Madagascan climbing frogs, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

He said he bought the animals for $1,300 from the famous Bangkok weekend market, Chatuchak Market, according to the ICA.

He claimed he bought the frogs for himself and the clown fish and geckos for his friend.

The fish and reptiles failed to appear on X-rays but an ICA statement said the man's nervous behaviour alerted an officer, who then searched his luggage.

The animals have been handed over to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.

If they are found to be endangered, the man could be fined $50,000 and jailed two years for each species he tried to import.

If the animals are not endangered, he could still be charged under the Wild Animals and Birds Act and fined $1,000 for each animal.

Over 9,000 living creatures had been found smuggled into Singapore over the last three years.

They include coral, soft-shell turtles, chipmunks, scorpions, centipedes, arowana and hedgehogs.