KOTA BARU: Three men were arrested for allegedly possessing two Asian palm civet cubs without a valid licence during Ops Taring Wawasan at the Lalang Pepuyu roadblock in Tanah Merah late Friday (July 17) night.
General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the suspects, aged between 21 and 26 years old, were detained at 11.15pm after the car they were travelling in was stopped for inspection.
He said a search of the vehicle uncovered a cage containing two Asian palm civet cubs in the rear passenger footwell.
"The driver failed to produce any valid documents or licence authorising the possession of the wildlife. Preliminary investigations found that the main suspect admitted purchasing the two Asian palm civet cubs in Kubang Kerian for RM50 each from an individual he had contacted through WhatsApp," he said in a statement Saturday (July 18).
Also seized were the car, an animal cage and the two Asian palm civet cubs, bringing the total value of the seizure to an estimated RM26,700, he said.
Ahmad Radzi said the suspects and the Asian palm civet cubs had been handed over to the Kelantan branch of the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) for further action. - Bernama
