AMPANG: Authorities have crippled a syndicate selling wildlife in a raid on the premises it was operating out of at Kampung Tasek Permai, here.
The raid was part of Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah by the Wildlife Crimes Unit comprising the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), police and the General Operations Force.
Six people were arrested, and wildlife worth nearly a quarter of a million ringgit was seized.
Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the raid was conducted at 7.30pm on July 2.
"Of the six detained, four are Cambodian nationals.
"When we checked the premises, we found 200 turtles and tortoises of different species including Chinese Stripe-Necked Turtles, Black Pond Turtles, Snapping Turtles, Sulcata Tortoises, Leopard Tortoises, Red Footed Tortoises and Amboina box turtles," he said on Monday, adding that the team also seized three snakes, a skink, four soft shell turtles and five frogs.
"The seizures are estimated to be worth RM246,394. The suspects failed to produce licenses or permits from Perhilitan to keep protected wildlife," he said, adding that they also seized three mobile phones, 10 closed-circuit television units, four computers and two refrigerators.
He said investigations revealed that the animals were smuggled in to be sold on the black market.
"The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010."