JOHOR BARU: Police, together with the Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department crippled a syndicate involved in smuggling of wildlife parts in two raids last Thursday.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah said the success led to the seizure of RM1 million worth of wildlife parts, which included skull, tooth and horn.
He said the first raid was conducted at a house in Taman Johor Jaya, here, where four local men were arrested and the second was at a house in Ulu Tiram which led to the arrest of a local man.
All the suspects, aged between 29 and 72, have been released on police bail, he said, adding that they were believed to be members of a wildlife smuggling syndicate which had been operating since 2010.
He said the syndicate was believed to have used Johor as a transit to smuggle in the wildlife parts from Indonesia for export to China.
Police are investigating the case under Section 68 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, which provides a fine of between RM100,000 and RM500,000 and imprisonment for not more than five years, if found guilty. - Bernama