KUALA LUMPUR: Seven individuals have been arrested by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) on Monday for smuggling and selling protected animals online.
During the operation in Sentul, Ampang and Seremban, Negri Sembilan, Perhilitan also rescued 49 protected animals including leaf monkeys, asian palm civets, asiatic leopard cats, Indian Star tortoise, and hill myna birds.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the suspects have exploited the social media by getting involved in illegal wildlife trading.
He said the first arrest was made on a 46-year-old Pakistani man in Sentul, here. He was found with two boxes that contained three leaf monkeys on his motorcycle.
In a second raid, a 36-year-old woman was arrested at her house in Ampang, here.
The enforcement officers found in her house three asian palm civets, seven leaf monkeys, and six asiatic leopard cats. She did not possess any licence to keep the protected animals.
In the third raid, Negri Sembilan Perhilitan enforcement officers nabbed five individuals at a parking lot near Senawang toll plaza in Seremban.
Officers, upon checking two cars belonging to them found 28 Indian Star tortoises and two hill myna birds.
He said they too did not have any licence to keep the protected wildlife animals.