stephanie lee The Star 14 Nov 17;
KOTA KINABALU: A restaurant owner is in trouble for allegedly selling various types of exotic meat.
The owner who operates on Jalan Bulbul in Semporna was nabbed on Nov 12 following a tip-off.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said the raid was a continuation of their operations to hunt for turtle poachers in Semporna.
"During the raid, our officials found the meat of various protected species kept in freezers at the restaurant," he said in a statement late Tuesday.
Inspection around the premises also found two live monitor lizards and two live reticulated pythons, also protected species, being kept in cages.
The restaurant owner is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
On Nov 13, wildlife rangers also caught three people allegedly possessing deer meat without a license in their vehicle.
"A lorry driver and his passenger, aged 60 and 61, were caught during a roadblock along the Tawau-Kalabakan road," Tuuga said.
The third person detained was travelling the same route in a 4WD.
All three will be investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
Exotic meat found stored in Semporna restaurant
AVILA GERALDINE New Straits Times 14 Nov 17;
KOTA KINABALU: A restaurant owner was arrested following the discovery of an assortment of meat of protected species in Semporna.
A team from the Sabah Wildlife department recovered cuts of pangolin, civet cat, flying fox and bearded pig meat stored at the restaurant on Sunday.
State Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga said two monitor lizards and two reticulated pythons kept in cages were also found at the restaurant.
“We have detained the restaurant owner. Investigations are being carried out under Section 41(2) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 for possession of protected species," he said.
The offence carries a fine between RM30,000 and RM100,000 or jail term between one year and three years or both, if convicted.
Tuuga said the raid was conducted as part of the department's opeartions to hunt turtle poachers in the east coast districts.
The following day, the team moved further inland to Sungai Udin in Tawau. The operation focused on a road block along the Tawau-Kalabakan road.
During the operation, the team stopped a lorry and found deer meat in their vehicle.
Tuuga said the lorry driver and his passenger were detained for possesing dear meat without permit.
