PUTRAJAYA: The Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) detained an Indonesian man on suspicion of smuggling out a fully protected wildlife species at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA 2) yesterday.
The AKPS said the 49-year-old man was detained in an operation at 9.10 pm by KLIA AKPS in collaboration with Aviation Security (Avsec) personnel.
“The suspect, who was a passenger on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Surabaya, was found carrying a cardboard box that had been checked into the cargo hold of the plane,“ the AKPS statement said today.
“An inspection found that the box contained four birds suspected to be from the ‘Burung Sewah Tahu’ (Asian Koel, a cuckoo sub-species), each hidden inside a polypipe (PVC pipe).”
AKPS stated that the suspect failed to produce any valid documents or permit from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to export the wildlife out of Malaysia.
All of the birds are fully protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716].
Following that, AKPS (Perhilitan personnel) seized the box and the wildlife species in question, in accordance with legal provisions through the List of Seized Items List (PHL 01/2010) and estimated the total value of the animals seized at RM52,000.
“A police report was made at the KLIA 2 police station and the suspect was detained at the Aeropolis police station (lock-up) for remand proceedings from the court,” said the AKPS statement.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 71 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), which provides for strict penalties against anyone who exports protected species without a special permit.
