Elephant found shot dead in Perak with tusks and trunk removed

GERIK: A 30-year-old male elephant was found shot to death at Hutan Piah here, with its trunk and tusks removed.  

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Comm Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah said the animal is believed to have been killed a week ago.  

"The dead animal was found some 15km from the main road of Jalan Gerik-Kuala Kangsar," he said.  

Comm Zulkifli said that the animal was shot three times, twice in its head and once more in its rear.

"A bullet was found lodged in the right buttock of the animal," he said during a press conference at the Gerik police station here on Tuesday (March 13).  

He said upon receiving a tip off, a team comprising the police, General Operation Forces and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, arrested four men aged between 40 and 49 at various locations on Sunday (Mar 11).  

"One of them led the police to a house in Kampung Padang Jeri here where they found two rifles, two homemade shotguns, RM10,500 in cash, 255 bullets, wire traps, machetes, chainsaw and various hunting equipment.

"We also seized a deer horn and seven bone fragments, believed to be from a tiger," he said.  

"All four suspects will be remanded until March 18 to be investigated for possessing illegal firearms, unlicensed weapons or ammunitions and for carrying weapons in public," he added.