Malaysia, India may team up over wildlife smuggling

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) has pledged to work with Indian authorities following the arrest of a passenger caught smuggling two exotic monitor lizards from Kuala Lumpur to India.
MCBA Air Domain director Zuhailah Jalani said that while there has been no prior collaboration with Indian authorities, they are open to working together to curb such smuggling attempts.
"To date, we have not had any cooperation with Indian Authorities but we are willing to aid in their investigation if there is any request from them.
"Moving forward, MCBA will seek to collaborate with the authorities there through the Indian Embassy and other international organisations," she told the New Straits Times.
Zuhailah's remarks comes after Indian airport authorities busted a passenger smuggling two protected monitor lizards in his checked baggage upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur, highlighting India's lucrative illegal wildlife trade.
Acting on intelligence, officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu, uncovered the reptiles during an inspection.
Meanwhile, Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the department would maintain close communications with the Indian authorities.
"We will contact the Indian authorities through Interpol National Central Bureau Kuala Lumpur to gather further information on the case," he said.
Photos released by authorities showed the two reptiles with their mouths and limbs tightly bound before being wrapped in black cloth.
Their legs were also secured with tape, highlighting the cruel methods used in wildlife smuggling.
In a statement issued in April, the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) raised concern over Kuala Lumpur International Airport's ongoing role as a key transit hub in the illegal wildlife trade.
In early March, two individuals boarded a flight to Chennai with a suitcase containing eight exotic animals, including Eastern Grey Gibbons, marbled polecats, a silvery lutung, and a Sumatran white-bearded palm civet, it had said in a statement. Three baby siamang gibbons were found dead.