Malaysia: RM48.5 million in rhino horns, animal carcasses bound for Vietnam seized at KLI

Mohd Azam Shah Yaacob New Straits Times 20 Aug 18;

KUALA LUMPUR: Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) officers seized 50 rhinoceros horns and nine carcasses of wild animals worth RM48.5 million last Monday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

The seizure, the biggest in the country involving rhinoceros horns, was made following a call from Royal Customs Department that a stench was emanating from several packages at its Aviation Post Export Division at the Cargo Terminal at KLIA.

The rhinoceros horns are believed to have come from the African Rhino, while the animal carcases were that of carnivorous animals such as bears, tigers, panthers and clouded leopards.

The horns and carcasses were believed to have been destined for Vietnam.

Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the horns were found in six boxes while the animal carcasses, minus the pelts, were found in four boxes.

“The horns weighed about 116kg in total and are estimated to be worth RM48 million, but are sold in the black market for about RM100,000 per kilogramme. The nine carcasses weighed in total about 200kg with an estimated black market worth of about RM500,000,” he told reporters at Perhilitan headquarters.

Present was Perhilitan enforcement director Salman Saaban.

Kadir said KLIA was used by the international wildlife smuggling syndicate involved as a transit point, with the packages all meant to be sent to an address in Hanoi.

He said Perhilitan believed the animal parts, including the horns, were meant to be processed into powder to be used as alternative medicine in Vietnam.

“At this point in time, we are still investigating to figure out who had sent the packages, when they arrived at KLIA and who was to receive them (in Vietnam). In fact, we believe that the address of the recipient in Hanoi is fake, and that syndicate members will pick up the packages as soon as they arrive in Vietnam.”

Kadir said the department would send samples taken from the animals to Geneva for scientists to determine country of origin.

He said a report would also be sent to Interpol, while the carcasses and horns would be sent back to their countries of origin as soon as these were determined.


Malaysia makes record US$12mil rhino horn seizure
The Star 20 Aug 18;

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia has made a record seizure of 50 rhino horns worth an estimated US$12mil at the Kuala Lumpur airport as they were being flown to Vietnam, authorities said Monday.

Customs officials found the parts in cardboard boxes on Aug 13 in the cargo terminal of the capital’s airport, said Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, head of Malaysia’s Wildlife Department.

The 50 rhino horns weighed 116kg (256 pounds) and are worth about RM50mil (US$12mil), he told AFP, adding that the seizure was “the biggest ever in (Malaysia’s) history in terms of the number of horns and value”.

Vietnam is a hot market for rhino horn, which is believed to have medicinal properties and is in high demand among the communist nation’s growing middle class.

A single kilo of rhino horn can fetch tens of thousands of dollars in the region, where many falsely believe it can cure cancer.

All rhino species are under threat of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Abdul Kadir said authorities were unable to identify the origin of the animal parts. Rhino horn sent to Asia typically comes from Africa.

Officials also found a huge stash of animal bones - believed to be from tigers and leopards - in the same shipment, with an estimated value of RM500,000.

Authorities have not made any arrests over the seizures.

Elizabeth John, from wildlife trade watchdog Traffic, described the rhino horn seizure as “staggering” and urged authorities to track down the people behind the smuggling attempt.

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cheap flights around South-East Asia, and has become a key transit point in the smuggling of rare animal parts. - AFP