KOTA TINGGI: A man has been arrested for the second time on suspicion of keeping a large number of protected birds that were to be smuggled out of the country.
Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Salman Saaban said the 43-year-old suspect was detained for a similar offence on Dec 9 last year in Teluk Ramunia here.
Based on information, he said four Perhilitan enforcement officers carried out an operation at a shop in Felda Bukit Waha here at 2.30pm on Saturday.
“We have reasons to believe that the shop was used to store wildlife before they are smuggled out to a neighbouring country, ” he said yesterday.
Salman added that his officers found 95 white-rumped shama birds, known as “burung murai batu”.
“At least 62 birds are alive while we also recovered 35 burung murai carcasses and 51 iron cages, ” he said.
Salman said the seized items, which were worth about RM15,000, were brought to the Bandar Penawar Perhilitan office for further action.
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