Suspected poachers make violent escape, but were nabbed anyway

A cracked windscreen on a forestry department vehicle.

KOTA KINABALU: Two suspected poachers were arrested near the Rara Forest Reserve in Tawau, one day after they rammed through a roadblock mounted by the Forestry Department.

The suspects, a father-and-son Malaysian duo aged 25 and 51, came across the roadblock at about 6.30pm on Dec 29, but instead of stopping, rammed through a gate and hit two Forestry Department vehicles, narrowly missing two rangers on duty.

A chase ensued but the suspects managed to escape after about 10km.

The seized vehicle from the suspected poachers. 

Tawau police chief Asst Comm Fadil Marsus said according to the rangers, the suspects also threw items at the pursuing officers in an attempt to ditch them.

“After receiving a report from the forest rangers, we sent out a team to search for the suspects,” he said when contacted.

“Following a tip-off, our team caught the duo at their house about 10.30am on Dec 30,” he added.

ACP Fadil said the police seized the vehicle used during the incident and raided their house, but found no illegal items inside.

He added that the duo have been remanded until Jan 3 and are expected to be released on bail.

No one was injured in the incident.

It is learnt that forest rangers have been conducting round-the-clock roadblocks at hotspots since Dec 26 to stop poachers in restricted areas following numerous killings of elephants and other wildlife.