KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized 51 sacks of dried turtle meat weighing 765 kilogrammes believed to be smuggled abroad, last night.
Kudat maritime zone director Maritime Commander Maurice Grenville Abeyeratne said to obtain the amount of dried turtle meat, it is estimated that about 1,000 turtles of an endangered species were killed by the syndicate involved, and 19 sacks containing sea cucumber shells were also found.
He said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement held Op Pluto Timur and Op Tiris around the coastal area about 0.5 nautical miles northeast of Kampung Tajau Laut, Kudat had inspected a boat which appeared suspicious at 10.27pm.
“Aware of the presence of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Team, the suspect escaped to a nearby shallow area.
“Assets from the land moved to the location to conduct an inspection in the area involved because the patrol boat could not dock at the coastal area,“ he said in a statement here today.
He said the entire loot worth about RM500,000 was taken to the Kudat Maritime Zone office for further investigation, and the case was investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 for attempting to smuggle the meat of endangered species.
