Malaysia: More than 100 protected birds confiscated

ZAFIRA ANWAR New Straits Times 11 Apr 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 100 protected birds and a deer were confiscated by The Department of Wildlife and Natural Parks (Perhilitan) during Ops Akar recently.

Its enforcement director Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said its department, under the Wildlife Crime Unit, had nabbed a man in his 40s, believed to be the mastermind behind the smuggling of local protected birds to a neighbouring country.

"The suspect was caught transporting 105 white-rumped shama or burung murai batu and two blue-rumped parrots or Bayan Puling which were found in Toyota Hiace he was driving.

"The price of one white-rumped shama in Indonesia ranges between RM800 to RM1,000," he told reporters here today.

The dead Barking deer was found skinned with its head severed, believed to be for consumption.

He said the case was being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) which carries a maximum punishment of RM700,000 or a jail term no longer than 10 years or both.