The Star 25 Feb 11;
GEORGE TOWN: Two men have been caught trying to smuggle 135 live pangolins worth RM100,000 to neighbouring countries.
The two – buyer and seller respectively – were caught red-handed moving the pangolins in cages into two modified cars outside a store in Sungai Dua, Butterworth at 2.15am yesterday.
The two, aged 23 and 40, were arrested by a state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) enforcement team who had been monitoring their activities for more than three months.
State Perhilitan director Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim said the seizure was the biggest in Penang since 2009.
He said the men, believed to be members of an illegal wildlife trade syndicate, faced a fine of up to RM350,000 or 14 years in jail each for committing offences related to wildlife.
Also seized were two modified Proton Iswara meant to transport the scaly anteaters across the border.
“We have handed them over to the police for further action,” Jamalun said at the Perhilitan office in Jalan Gurdwara yesterday. Also present was enforcement officer Khairul Nizam Yahaya. Jamalun said initial investigation showed the store was a transit point where pangolins were brought in from other states.
He believed the endangered animals were smuggled out by land whenever there was an order from neighbouring countries.
He added that there was a huge demand for the animals in these countries.
Jamalun said each pangolin, weighing between 5kg and 7kg, could fetch up to RM200 per kg. Even the scales could fetch a high price for their medicinal properties.
He said the rescued pangolins would be released in Taman Negara in Teluk Bahang.
Pangolin meals spoiled
Tan Sin Chow The Star 25 Feb 11;
TWO men have been nabbed trying to smuggle out 135 live pangolins worth RM100,000 that were destined for the dinner table in neighbouring countries.
The two — the buyer and the seller — were caught red-handed moving the pangolins in cages into two modified cars outside a store in Sungai Dua, Butterworth, at 2.15am yesterday.
The two were arrested by a state Wildlife and National Parks Department enforcement team who had been watching their activities for more than three months.
State Wildlife and National Parks Department director Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim said the seizure was the biggest in the state since 2009.
He said the men, aged 23 and 40, were believed to be members of an illegal wildlife trade syndicate and they faced up to RM350,000 in maximum fine or 14 years in jail each for committing offences related to wildlife.
Also seized were two modified Proton Iswara meant to transport the scaly anteaters across the border.
“We have handed them over to the police for further action,” he said during a press conference at the office in Jalan Gurdwara yesterday.
Also present was enforcement officer Khairul Nizam Yahaya.
Jamalun said initial investigation showed the store was a transit point where all the pangolins were brought in from other states.
He believed the endangered animals were smuggled out on land whenever there was an order from neighbouring countries.
He added that there was a huge demand for the animals which would be skinned and later eaten in these countries.
Jamalun said each pangolin, weighing between 5kg and 7kg, could fetch up to RM200 per kg. Even the scales could fetch a high price for their medicinal properties.
He said the rescued pangolins would be released at Taman Negara in Teluk Bahang.
Department releases pangolins into the wild
The Star 27 Feb 11;
GEORGE TOWN: The 135 pangolins saved from the cooking pot by the Penang Wildlife and National Parks Department have been released into the wild.
State director Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim said the scaly anteaters were released at an undisclosed location here on Friday night.
“We took DNA samples from the pangolins for record purposes,” he said yesterday.
The department obtained a court order on Friday to release the pangolins that were recently seized.
Jamalun added that department personnel were monitoring the area to deter poachers.
The animals, worth about RM100,000, were seized on Thurs-day morning in Sungai Dua, Butterworth.
Two men were caught moving the animals in cages into two modified cars, which were believed to be headed to a neighbouring country.
It is learnt that the meat of the pangolins, weighing between 5kg and 7kg each, could fetch up to RM200 per kilo.
The mammals are said to be prized for their meat, which is believed to be an aphrodisiac.
The tough, overlapping scales of the pangolin are said to be able to quell fevers.
