Malaysia: Three Indonesians caught smuggling 435 exotic animals

Muhammad Mustakim Ramli New Straits Times 22 Sep 18;

KANGAR: Perlis Customs Department rescued 435 exotic animals, including two orang utans, about to be smuggled into Malaysia on Saturday.

Its director Datuk Seri T Subromanian said the animals, kept in 39 boxes, were found underneath a compartment inside a fishing boat.

The Customs team intercepted the boat near the Kuala Perlis-Langkawi border at 12.25am.

"The team arrested three Indonesian men, aged between 40 and 50 years old.

"They have valid travel documents but no permits or papers for the animals." he said.

Apart from the orang utans, other animals rescued were sugar gliders, baby albino foxes, baby crocodiles, birds of paradise, white cockatoos, eclectus parrots, long-tailed parakeets and great arguses.

Subromaniam said most of the animals were classified as endangered species and could fetch a high price in the black market.

He said checks showed that the animals originated from Sumatera and were meant for local market.

He added that the suspects and animals have been handed over to the Wildlife Department for further action.

The case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(e) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing uncustomed and prohibited goods.

Hundreds of wild animals saved
g.c. tan The Star 23 Sep 18;

KANGAR: Two orang utan, looking stressed and frightened, are among hundreds of endangered or exotic animals that had been travelling in the sea for three nights before the Customs Department foiled the smuggling attempt.

The animals, which were found on a vessel around midnight on Friday near Langkawi and Kuala Perlis, were being sent to Thailand.

It is learnt that the animals could fetch up to RM500,000 in the black market.

Besides the orang utan, other animals kept in 39 boxes were two baby Albino fox, two paradise birds (burung cenderawasih), two alba cockatoos, two electus parrots, 21 long-tailed parakeet birds (burung bayan nuri), a female great argus bird (burung kuang raya), 48 baby saltwater crocodiles (buaya tembaga) and 355 sugar glider squirrels.

He said they also detained three Indonesian crew members aged between 40 and 50.

“The captain failed to produce documents on the cargo when we stopped them. “Upon inspection, we found the animals.

“All the seized exotic wildlife had been handed over to Perlis Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan),” he told a press conference yesterday.

The crew members are believed to have smuggled the wildlife from Sumatra, Indonesia.

On another matter, Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said poachers who install and own snares would face more severe penalties when the Wildlife Conservation Act is reviewed.

“The use of snares is a serious crime that can cause injuries and deaths to wildlife while some were permanently disabled,” he told Bernama.

At present, individuals convicted of using snares could be fined not less than RM50,000 and not more than RM100,000 and imprisoned not exceeding two years.

“We recommend that amendments to this act impose a longer jail term and a heavier penalty,” he said.

Abdul Kadir said that from January to July, 26 wildlife species such as tapir, sun bear, serow, sambar deer and deer were found dead after being caught in snares.

He said as many as 653 wire and nylon snares and bird nets were destroyed since the beginning of the year while 79 forest sites were identified as the poachers’ area of focus.