The Star 17 Mar 10;
KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has confiscated over 26,000 pieces of python gall bladders, 35,000 pieces of python skins, and three pangolins in two operations in Kedah and Perak.
In the first raid at a business premises in Kulim last week, the officers found the python bile and dried pieces of python skin in sacks and zinc boxes.
“This is the biggest seizure of python bile we have ever had,” Perhilitan law and enforcement division director Saharudin Anan told a press conference at the department’s headquarters here yesterday.
“We are investigating how the owner of the shop, a man in his 40s, obtained these parts,” he said.
The python bile is believed to be sold between RM500 and RM800 per kg while the python skins is said to be worth between RM50 and RM80 per piece.
In the second raid, the Wildlife Crime Unit (WCU) officers found the three pangolins and a piece of pangolin scale at a home in Teluk Intan.
“The items were found in a storeroom and bedroom of the house,” said Saharudin.
Two men in their 40s who are in-laws and a 19-year-old woman were taken to the Teluk Intan magistrate’s court to be charged under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 on March 26.
Eleven WCU officers, led by National Wildlife Department’s legal and enforcement department deputy director Celescoriano Razond, conducted the raids.
