By Brad Rantayy
MIRI, Jan 24: The General Operations Force (GOF) rescued 19 protected bird species and seized 19kg Agarwood (gaharu) in two separate raids here recently during its “Ops Bersepadu Khazanah”.
Miri GOF commanding officer, Supt Tan Hiap Seng, said two local men, believed to be the owners of the respective premises, were detained to facilitate investigations.
The seizures from the two raids were estimated at around RM1.168 million, he added.
The first raid was carried out on Wednesday (Jan 22), around 10.15am in a house at Taman Bekenu, Sibuti. The second was carried out at a premise at Jalan Raja in the city centre here, at 12.15pm yesterday.
“In the first raid, our task force team led by Inspector Rayhan Albert with 16 personnel discovered and seized 19 protected species of birds from a house in Taman Bekenu, Sibuti, and detained a local man aged 55,” he told a press conference here today.
Among the protected species of birds rescued from the house were Burung Tiong Mas (2), Burung Murai Batu (3), Burung Kapas Tembak (3), Burung Murai Kampung (4), Burung Merbuk (3), sugar glider (2), Burung Serindit (1) and Burung King King (1).
The value of the rescued birds were estimated around RM30,150.
In the second raid on Jan 23, the task force team led by Inspector Akbal Singh Sandhu found a large amount of Agarwood and other protected animal parts to be estimated over RM1.13 million.
The premise owner aged 46 has been detained for questioning, Tan said.
“Further checks inside the premise, the team found antlers horns (19); five antlers skull with the horns attached, two well-preserved lizards and two live turtles,” he continued.
All seized items will be handed over to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation for further action. The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1998. — DayakDaily
