MOHD JAMILUL ANBIA MD DENIN New Straits Times 4 Nov 18;
KUALA LUMPUR: Extraordinary profit is why some enforcement and government officers become masterminds in smuggling and the illicit trade of protected wildlife.
A source said these people were found to be colluding with poachers and have connections with international syndicates.
This was proven when several police officers as well as former officers of the Royal Customs Department were arrested in operations conducted by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) over the last few months.
The source said in a September raid, a police officers was arrested by Perhilitan for suspected involvement in the smuggling of pangolins or tenggiling in Malay, in Kedah.
"Pangolins are highly sought after especially in China because of its scales deemed as a main ingredient for traditional medicine. Apart from that, its meat is also a favourite for those who fancy exotic food.
"The police officer was detained at his home on suspicion of being the middleman to a syndicate in a neighbouring country," the source said, adding that 81 pangolins were seized in the raid.
"However, Perhilitan is waiting until January next year to charge the suspect in court under Section 68 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010," the source informed.
On Oct 30, the source said two Customs officers were sentenced to three years in jail and fine RM230,000 by the Sepang Magistrate's Court after they were found guilty of being involved in the smuggling of 31 black spotted turtles.
"They were arrested on May 12, 2016 for possessing two bags containing the turtles at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2)."
It is learned that the duo, both aged 29 and 31, were still attached to the Royal Customs Department when they were nabbed.
"They were slapped with a maximum sentence for abusing their positions and responsibilities given," according to the source who informed that the turtles are in the red list of threatened species.
South East Asia's non-governmental organisation TRAFFIC that is fighting to combat the problem of wildlife smuggling informed that there is an increase of pet reptiles being smuggled due to high demand in the Asian market.
A recent research revealed that at least 10,321 black spotted turtles have been seized in 53 operations conducted between April 2014 and March 2016.
Some 300 wildlife species, with a majority of them being protected species are being sold online via Facebook on a daily basis.
