KUALA TERENGGANU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will be wrapping up its investigations into the international syndicate involved in the smuggling of pangolin scales within the next two weeks.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said to date, 12 individuals have been detained to facilitate investigations and he expects no further arrest in the operation, codenamed Op Jaguar.
"I believe there will be no more arrests as 12 people have been detained and the focus is to complete our investigations in the next two weeks.
There is a demand from the international community to know about the outcome of our investigations.
"Two enforcement agency officers were among the 12 individuals who were nabbed during out "Op Jaguar" investigation," he told reporters after attending the MACC's "Cakna Rasuah" programme with east coast media practitioners here today.
Meanwhile, Azam said MACC launched "Op Jaguar" after receiving information from a non-governmental organisation based abroad and an enforcement authority in the United States.
"We managed to cripple an international pangolin scale smuggling syndicate which targeted the scales of the protected species meant for disposal.
During the raids, we had seized 1.8 tonnes of pangolin scales and foiled attempts by the suspects to smuggle another four tonnes of scales.
"This is a huge international syndicate where agents and enforcement officers had collaborated with the syndicate that was disposing and smuggling pangolin scales.
"This is the second case we are cooperating with international agencies based abroad after Op Tropicana (involving international scammers).
We have now established strong ties and have managed to rescue the wildlife from extinction," he said.
On how long the syndicate has been operating, Azam said he has no accurate information but believes that it has been going on for quite some time.
On July 14, MACC busted an international syndicate suspected of bribing law enforcement officers to smuggle pangolin scales, as well as engaging in money laundering.
MACC's Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Division raided premises in Klang, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur where they seized almost two tonnes of animal scales worth about RM23.4 million and several luxury vehicles linked to the syndicate.
Several men aged between 30 and 59, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal nationals and local were nabbed.