KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Wildlife Department officers are hunting for at least three people in connection with recent turtle poaching activities in Semporna.
This follows the arrests of a 60-year-old man in Kampung Pantau Pantau, off Semporna, yesterday and two people today.
“A Bajau Laut man in his 40s was detained in Dinawan island in the morning while a Bajau Laut woman in her 30s was detained in Kampung Amboh-Amboh, Bum-Bum island, in the afternoon.
“Their statements will be recorded to facilitate investigations,” said state department director Augustine Tuuga.
The arrests came about following the discovery of numerous mutilated green sea turtle carcasses in Bum Bum, located off Semporna, last week.
Augustine said initial investigations indicated another three people were involved in the poaching but did not exclude the possibility that there could be more.
The department is being assisted by Marine police, Sabah Parks officers and World Wildlife Fund members in the search for other suspects at several islands in Semporna waters.
Meanwhile, two Indonesian men were detained for possessing parts of protected sambar deer and bearded pig at their house in Kinabatangan.
Their house was searched this morning as the department suspected the owners were connected to the killing of a male elephant found floating in Sungai Kayoh last week.
“However, the search only found parts of other protected species,” said Augustine.