Police have arrested a motorcycle workshop mechanic who allegedly sold protected birds via the Internet and social media sites.
According to The Star Online, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) nabbed the man in a raid at his house/motorcycle workshop in Jitra, Kedah on Wednesday.
In the 4pm raid, the authorities seized two protected birds and seven totally protected birds worth a total of RM50,000.
It was reported that the protected birds were a Little Green Pigeon and White-rumped Shama while the seven totally protected birds were a Black-shouldered Kite, a Striped-throated Bulbul, a Blue-winged Leafbird, a Slaty-breasted Rail and three Watercock.
Kedah Perhilitan director Mohamad Hafid Rohani told the portal that the raid was carried out after weeks of intelligence gathering and observation.
Investigations revealed that besides face-to-face sale, the suspect had reportedly advertised the birds for sale on a popular online classifieds website as well as Facebook and WhatsApp.
The suspect had been running the illegal business for about six months and caught the birds himself in local forests, Mohamad Hafid said.
“He sells the birds for between RM2,000 and RM8,000 each,” he was quoted as saying.
The suspect, who was remanded for four days, would be investigated under Section 68 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 for hunting totally protected wildlife without special permit. If convicted, he will face a maximum RM100,000 fine or maximum three-year jail term or both.
