SEPANG: The Kuala Lumpur International Airport's (KLIA) Customs Department has seized 712 kilograms of Pangolin scales, worth RM9.12 million, which were smuggled in from Congo and Ghana.
Displaying the seized items at Kompleks Kastam Kargo, here, its enforcement assistant director general Datuk Paddy Abd Halim said the seizures were made possible following a tip-off.
"We were alerted by an informer about this and deployed our officers to investigate."
The Pangolin scales, he said, were smuggled in two separate batches, dated May 1 and May 2 respectively.
"The first batch was labelled as 'General Product' while the second batch as 'Dry Herbs'," he said.
Paddy said his team has yet to ascertain if the smuggled Pangolin scales were meant for domestic or overseas market.
"They used a fake company address in Nilai. So, we are not sure and are still investigating it," he said.
He added that the first batch was flown in via Emirates Airways from Accra, Ghana and transitted in Dubai while the second batch was flown in via the same airline from Kinshasa, Congo and also transitted in Dubai.
Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) deputy director Rozidan Md Yasin said the Pangolin scales could fetch a price of between RM1,000 to RM1,500 per kg in the Malaysian market.
"They can fetch a higher price in China because of the big demand there."
He said this was because the scales were considered to have medicinal properties and used as traditional remedy for malaria and cancer.
Rozidan said even though there was no scientific research to back the claim, Pangolin meat could be sold for RM200 to RM300 per kg.
"I believe they (the seized scales) are from pangolins in Africa, because the scales are of larger size." he added.
Import of Pangolin scales requires a special permit from Perhilitan.
Under Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967, those found guilty of illegally importing it into the country can be fined a maximum of 20 times the value of the smuggled items, or face three years imprisonment, or both.
Meanwhile, KLIA Customs director Datuk Hamzah Sundang pledged a handsome cash reward for those who could provide authorities with valuable information on the smugglers' whereabouts.