A Singaporean man was fined and jailed by a Malaysian court for smuggling 11 wild parrots into Malaysia.
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) of Malaysia shared the details of the case in a Facebook post on June 20.
The illicit transportation of the smuggled birds was unveiled during inspections carried out at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) on May 31.
Wildlife and National Parks Department officials from Johor state collaborated with immigration authorities to inspect Singapore-registered vehicles in one of the lanes at the complex following a tip off from the Customs.
On the evening of May 31, five enforcement officers were dispatched to the CIQ complex. During the search, they discovered several birds concealed in the suspect’s vehicle.
The species included 4 figbirds, 3 blue and gold macaws, 3 scarlet macaws, and 1 yellow-headed Amazon bird. According to NST, Aminuddin Jamin, the director of the department, stated that the vibrant birds were confined to small boxes with tiny holes.
Additionally, the officers found bird feed, 10 wooden boxes, a cage, and a mobile phone among the seized items. The suspect was apprehended on the spot, and the confiscated goods were taken into custody.
The case was subsequently presented before the Johor Bahru Sessions Court on June 7. The court determined that the individual in question did not possess any valid permits or documentation from Perhilitan to justify the possession of these protected wildlife species, as translated from the Facebook post by Free Malaysia Today.
Under the Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Act 2022, the Singaporean offender was found guilty of possessing protected wildlife without the necessary permit, as outlined in Sections 60(1) and 68(1)(a).
The court imposed a fine of RM80,000 (equivalent to S$23,230) and a 7-day prison term starting from the date of arrest.
Images source: Jabatan PERHILITAN Semenanjung Malaysia