Alleged wildlife parts smuggler Teo has not committed any crimes here, say cops

KUALA LUMPUR: No crimes have been committed by the alleged wildlife parts smuggler Teo Boon Ching here in Malaysia, say police.

Police secretary Deputy Comm Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin said checks did not reveal any offences committed by the 57-year-old in the country.

"That said, we will continue to monitor the situation. We will continue to cooperate with enforcement agencies in and out of the country to eradicate wildlife trafficking offences," she said in a statement on Sunday (Oct 9).

Teo had been extradited to the United States from Thailand to face charges linked to illegal wildlife parts operations and money laundering.

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Noorsiah said the police and the Wildlife Crime Bureau (WCB) were monitoring for any developments involving Teo, who was extradited to the United States over allegations of wildlife parts trafficking and money laundering on Friday (Oct 7).

Teo was charged with participating in a conspiracy to traffic over 70kg of rhinoceros horns valued at more than US$725,000 (RM3.37mil), said the US Department of Justice.

In addition, he was also charged with laundering the proceeds of his illegal rhinoceros horn sales, it said.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and two counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Teo was arrested in Thailand on June 29 at the request of the United States pursuant to their bilateral extradition treaty.

Earlier Friday, Teo and his associated entities were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).