Attempt to smuggle bearded dragons, sulcata tortoises foiled

PADANG BESAR: An attempt to smuggle 58 bearded dragons and eight sulcata tortoises worth RM18,100 into the country was foiled during a raid at Kampung Kolam here on Thursday.

Three people — a 36-year-old Malaysian man from Klang, Selangor, a 24-year-old Thai man and a 28-year-old Thai woman, both from Bangkok — were detained by Padang Besar Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) in the 3.30pm raid.

Perlis Aksem commander Deputy Superintendent Syed Basri Syed Ali said the case is being investigated under Section 69 of the Wildlife Protection Act 2010 (Act 716) for hunting or keeping protected wildlife without a special permit.

"If found guilty, the suspects could each be jailed up to 10 years and fined not more than RM200,000," he said on Friday.