PONTIAN: The marine police foiled an attempt to smuggle out almost 2,000 protected birds worth more than RM57,000 here on Sunday night.
Marine Police Region Two commander, Assistant Commissioner Paul Khiu Khon Chiang said a team led by Assistant Superintendent Mohd Shahril Muhammad Razali spotted a speedboat heading towards Pontian Kecil at about 10.30pm.
"After a 20-minute chase, the patrol boat found the speed boat in shallow waters. All its crew members escaped.
"We found 96 cages containing 1,920 magpies (murai kampung), which is a protected species," said Khiu.
He said the birds were valued at about RM57,600 and were taken to the Kukup marine police tactical base.
The case is being investigated under Section 60(2) of the Wildlife Conservation Act for hunting or keeping protected species.
The case has been handed over to the Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department.