KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — India’s authority seized live exotic animals worth approximately RM1.67 million which was smuggled from Malaysia in the guise of aquarium fish yesterday.
According to a report by The Times of India, Mumbai’s authority stated that it received information about a consignment containing live exotic animals in the guise of aquarium fish that would arrive from Malaysia at Sahar on October 5.
When the Directorate of Revenue’s Intelligence (DRI) personnel reached the spot, they learnt that the consignment has been received by Immanvel Raja, 36, and the officials took the number of the vehicles and intercepted it at a flyover.
In turn, they found that the vehicle contained a total of 30 packages, with 16 containing declared items such as various ornamental fishes, and another 13 had a total of 665 undeclared animals, comprising reptiles and wild animals such as turtle, tortoise, python, lizard, and iguana.
The authority found that 548 animals were alive and 117 died during the transportation.
DRI then contacted the local Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for assistance.
During the inquiry, the authority learned that a local resident was in touch with an overseas supplier named David Lu who has supposedly coordinated this illegal operation.
The seized animals are mentioned in the Appendices of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), signed by 175 countries including India and Malaysia.
