Sabah police cripple turtle egg smuggling ring

Approximately 19,000 turtle eggs were seized, with a street value of about RM30,000.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah marine police have crippled a major turtle egg smuggling operation after intercepting four pump boats and seizing 19,000 eggs with a street value of RM30,000 in the east coast district of Sandakan.

State marine police chief Asst Comm Mohamad Madun said the seizure was the result of a operation to nab turtle egg smugglers in the Sandakan area.

He added that three marine police vessels were involved in the operation in waters near Sungai Batu 2 at about 1.30am on Saturday, when personnel spotted four pump boats which tried to speed off.

Mohamad said that the four boats were seized after a 15-minute chase that ended with the arrests of 12 people, aged between 17 and 63 years.

Mohamad said the police seized four pump boat engines are worth RM10,850.