PASIR PUTEH: Marine police foiled an attempt to smuggle 642 exotic animals from here to Vietnam during ‘Ops Khazanah', on Friday.
The live animals, comprising 473 tortoises, 43 freshwater turtles, 100 foxes and 26 lizards were held captive inside cages and carriers, and are worth an estimated RM240,000.
Four people – three Vietnamese and one Malaysian – were detained in the raid at Kampung Air Tawar, near Tok Bali.
According to Marine Police Third Region commander Assistant Commissioner Norzaid Muhammad Said, they were tipped off to the smuggling attempt and deployed a team of 14 Marine personnel to a bushy area near the village.
"(When they) arrived at the scene, they saw four men removing several cages and plastic containers from a vehicle to the banks of a nearby river.
“After raiding the group and checking the contents of the containers, they discovered the animals,” Norzaid said at a press conference today.
He added that the vehicle – a Proton Iswara Aeroback – was seized, as was a scale.
Based on an initial investigation, the animals are believed to have been bound for Vietnam via river and sea, and meant for distribution in that country.
The four suspects, aged 18 and 44, have been remanded for four days beginning today to facilitate further investigation, Norzaid added; and the animals will be handed over to the Wildlife Department.