Brunei Direct 8 Nov 10;
Bandar Seri Begawan - The sale and consumption of turtle eggs is illegal in Brunei but sellers are still boldly defying the ban by walking up to potential customers and offering the endangered product.
As the turtles and their eggs fall under the categories of protected species, the sale of turtle eggs in Brunei has been banned.
However, the eggs, which are considered a delicacy in the region are still being poached and sold.
The Brunei Times managed to interview a regular buyer of seafood at the markets who revealed how the illegal sales of the turtle eggs take place.
"If you walk through the markets regularly, sometimes those who have the turtle eggs will come up to you," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The source added that those selling the illegal products would "not approach people that they are not familiar with or unaccustomed to", for fear of being caught by the law.
"They go up to their potential customers and ask whether they would like to buy ‘ping pongs', and if they agree they will establish the price and quantity and be asked to wait at a nearby spot," said the source.
The turtle eggs have picked up the moniker "ping pongs" because of their resemblance to table tennis balls.
Although, the sale of the turtle eggs is taking place in the fish markets in Brunei, it is alleged that the supply of the turtle eggs comes from abroad.
"The sellers usually pick them up from road trips to Sabah, and then bring it back into the country," according to the source.
Under Brunei Darussalam's laws of Wildlife protection Green Turtles, Chelonia mydas; the Hawksbill Turtle, Eretmochelys Imbricita; and the Leatherback Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea are all protected species.
The provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act states that no persons, shall sell or offer for sale or have in his possession any protected animal or any trophy or flesh thereof unless the same has been lawfully acquired.
The penalty is imprisonment for six months and a fine of $1,000. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Izam Said Ya'akub
