Authorities save RM1m wildlife parts bound for China black market

JOHOR BARU, July 15 — Police, with the assistance of the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), busted a regional syndicate suspected to be smuggling wildlife animal parts from Indonesia for the China black market.

The authorities also seized about RM1 million worth of exotic wildlife parts and arrested five Malaysian men, aged between 29 and 72 years, in an operation codenamed “Ops Rimau” on July 12.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Commissioner Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said investigations revealed that the syndicate has been operating in Johor since 2010.

“In the first raid at about 6pm, four suspects were detained in a house in Taman Johor Jaya and police seized about 13.8kg of wildlife parts, including internal organs.

“Another suspect was caught at a house in in Ulu Tiram and the raiding team seized 23.5kg of wildlife parts,” he said in a media conference at the Seri Alam district police headquarters here today.

Also present was Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd, deputy police chief Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din and Johor Perhilitan director Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim.

Zulkifki said the seized wildlife parts, mainly from Indonesia, have a street value of about RM1 million and were bound for the China market from Johor.

He said Johor was used as a transit point before the wildlife parts were shipped off.

Among the seized wildlife parts included tiger, bear, porcupine, Javanese bison, mountain goat bones, internal organs, skulls, tusks, testicles and genitalia.

Zulkifli, who is known for his proactive stance on illegal wildlife killing and smuggling of parts, said initial investigations revealed that the seized items were meant for medicinal purposes, including aphrodisiac products as well as exotic ornaments for the Chinese market.

He said Bukit Aman would continue to work together with Indonesia and Chinese police forces on the case, including the final destination for the products in China.

The case is being investigated under Section 68 of the Wildlife Protection Act 2010.

This latest case is the biggest related to the illegal sale of wildlife parts in the country.

Previously in March this year, police arrested four men and seized wildlife parts and firearms related to the shooting of an elephant in Gerik, Perak.


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