Law enforcement officers from the Malaysian Customs Bureau show the seized endangered golden-crested ploughshare tortoise (right) and Indian star tortoise to the media. (AFP)
(Sepang Integrated News) After a week, Kuala Lumpur Customs Bureau broke another case of smuggling endangered species. This time, 330 of the rarest turtles in the world were seized, with a total value of 1.2 million (approx. 1.92 million yuan). Wildlife protection group said this shows that Malaysia has become a hub for smuggling endangered species to various Asian countries.
Earlier this month, the Customs Department seized 712 kilograms of smuggled pangolin scales, with a total value of 9.18 million ringgit (approximately 14.66 million yuan). It is reported that the smuggling group must slaughter at least 1,400 pangolins to obtain such a large amount of pangolin scales. This batch of private goods was sent from Kenya via Congo Kinshasa to Dubai and then to Kuala Lumpur.
Deputy Director of the Malaysian Customs Department (Enforcement Group) Abdul Wahid held a press conference yesterday and said that after receiving reliable intelligence, law enforcement officers raided a batch of cargo lists and cargo boxes at the cargo warehouse at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday. Products with "stone".
He said that after law enforcement officers opened the container, they found 330 endangered tortoises hidden inside, including five golden-crested plowshare tortoises (also known as Angoloka giant tortoises or Madagascar tortoises), and 325 golden-crested tortoises. Indian Star Tortoise (Radiated Tortoise, also known as Radiated Tortoise), worth a total of RM1.2 million.
He said that after preliminary investigation, the batch of smuggled turtles was transported from the African island country Madagascar to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport through Etihad Airways (Etihad Airways), and the consignee used a false address.
He said that based on black market prices, a plowshare tortoise sells for $4,000 and an Indian star tortoise costs $1,000.
Malaysia prohibits the import of endangered animals. Violators can be jailed for three years and fined. Elizabeth, the head of the
International Wildlife Trade Research Organization (Traffic), said that the Malaysian authorities this month uncovered smuggled rhino horns and pangolin scales from Africa, which reflects the fact that the authorities have begun to take action against smugglers.
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