KOTA BARU: The General Operations Force yesterday seized several protected wildlife species and detained five undocumented migrants workers during a joint operation at a plantation in Gua Musang.
GOF Southeast Brigade commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the suspects, all from Myanmar, were arrested during a raid at their workers’ quarters.
He said the protected species seized were two murai batu (white-rumped shamas) and a jungle fowl.
“GOF personnel from the Eighth Battalion, together with officers from the Kelantan Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), carried out the operation under Op Bersepadu Khazanah about 4.15pm.
“Checks at the premises led to the discovery of the white-rumped shamas and the jungle fowl as well as a pot containing deer meat and an animal snare believed to have been used for illegal hunting activities,” he added.
Radzi added that all the suspects, aged 25 to 46, failed to produce valid identification documents.
He said the seized items were handed over to Perhilitan’s Sub-Technical Office for Wildlife Crime in Taman Negara in Pahang for further action.
“The undocumented migrants were handed over to Gua Musang police for further investigation,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 60(1)(a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
