Man fined S$7,600 for illegal import and possession of reptiles, another fined for abandoning cats

ASYRAF KAMIL Today Online 17 Oct 18;

SINGAPORE — A 28-year-old man was fined S$7,600 for the illegal import of a leopard tortoise, and possession of two endangered reptiles in his home.

In a statement on Wednesday (Oct 17), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said that Joey Law Swee Siang, 28, was fined S$4,000 for the illegal import of the tortoise, S$3,000 for possessing an African spurred tortoise, and S$600 for keeping a razor-back musk turtle.


Officers from ICA at Woodlands Checkpoint had first detected the leopard tortoise, which was hidden in an eyewear case placed in a Singapore-registered car's glove compartment, on April 13 this year. The case was then subsequently referred to AVA for further investigation.

“On the same day, AVA conducted follow-up checks at the man’s residence and detected four other illegal wildlife, an African spurred tortoise, a razor-back musk turtle, a Mekong snail-eating turtle, and a snake-necked turtle. The animals, which are not approved pets, were seized and placed in the care of the Wildlife Reserves Singapore,” said the two agencies.

During sentencing, the charges for the possession of the Mekong snail-eating turtle, and "keeping" of the snake-necked turtle were taken into consideration.

The leopard tortoise, African spurred tortoise, and Mekong snail-eating turtle are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), said the agencies.

The keeping and trading of wildlife and wildlife parts or products is an offence in Singapore.

Offenders can be fined up to S$1,000. If the wildlife species is protected under Cites, offenders can be jailed up to two years and/or fined up to S$500,000.

“Travellers are reminded not to import or keep such exotic pets as demand for these animals would fuel the illegal wildlife trade,” said the statement.

“Wildlife are not suitable pets as some may transmit zoonotic diseases to humans and pose a public safety risk if mishandled or if they escape into our dense urban environment. Non-native animals may also be a threat to our biodiversity if released into the environment.”

In a separate case, the AVA said that a 24-year-old man was fined S$2,000 on Wednesday for pet abandonment.

Muhammad Firdaus Samsudin was also issued a six-month disqualification order, which bars him from owning any animals.

The AVA said that it was alerted to a case of two cats found abandoned at the rooftop garden of a multi-storey carpark at Blk 504 Yishun Street 51 on Nov 4 last year.

“A resident had found the cats in a pet carrier covered by a blue canvas sheet. Investigation revealed that Firdaus was the owner of the cats and had abandoned them at the rooftop garden. The two cats have since been rehomed,” said the AVA.

The agency added that it takes a stern view on pet abandonment.

“We investigate all feedback on pet abandonment and will take enforcement action, where necessary,” it said, adding that those who abandon their pets are liable to a maximum fine of S$10,000, and/or a maximum jail term of 12 months for first convictions.