KUALA LUMPUR: The Wildlife and National Park Department seized 40 magpies, believed to be worth RM1 million, that were gathered at a parking lot of a supermarket in Rawang recently.
It is learned that the magpies, from the protected white-rumped shama species, valued at RM25,000 per bird, were gathered at the location for a competition scheduled to take place on the same day.
According to Buletin TV3, Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the magpies were seized during an integrated operation with the General Operations Force at 10am last Sunday.
He said the raiding party found the birds in separate cages hung in a covered parking lot at the scene.
He added that a 51-year-old man, believed to be the organiser of the event, was also at the scene.
"Preliminary checks showed the birds, believed to be from the white-rumped shama, had no markings or rings," he said,
He added that 22 people, believed to be the owners of the magpies, have come forward to facilitate investigations into the case.
They were later released on police bail of RM10,000 with one surety.
"All 40 bird cages, worth RM240,000, as well as the magpies, were taken to the Gombak district police headquarters," he said.
The case, he said, is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.