Pangolin scales worth RM3.8m seized

KUALA LUMPUR: A huge haul of Pangolin scales worth RM3.86 million were seized at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Customs Department in KLIA seized a whopping 300.9kg of the scales that made its way to Malaysian shores from Congo.
Customs assistant director-general (enforcement), Datuk Mohd Pudzi Man said that they had confiscated the smuggled items at their Free Trade Zone air cargo warehouse on July 30.
"An enforcement team was sent to carry out checks at the air cargo warehouse where they found six packages suspected of containing the illegal items.
"They were flown in via an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Congo with KLIA being the final destination," he said at a press conference.
He said that the boxes' "air waybill" was labelled "Fish Maw" and the address of delivery in Malaysia was a false one.
"We are still yet to determine if the scales were to be used in the local market or exported out to the foreign market," he said, adding that this was their fifth case involving Pangolin scales this year.
Under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967, those found guilty of illegally importing Pangolin scales into the country can be fined a maximum of 20 times the value of the smuggled items, or a three-year prison term or both.
The Pangolin is one of the most trafficked animals on earth. They make up a huge chunk of the entire wildlife black market.
Their scales, which are rich in Keratine- the same substance as fingernails- are believed to possess many medicinal qualities such as curing cancer and Malaria, although there is no scientific evidence to back that claim up.
They can fetch anywhere between RM1,000 and RM1,500 per kg in the Malaysian market.
Import of Pangolin scales requires a special permit from Perhilitan.
Meanwhile, in a separate smuggling case on July 30, customs officials also seized 75.74kg of ivory worth RM275,000 at KLIA.
Much like the Pangolin scales, they were on an Etihad Airways flight from Lagos and transited in Abu Dhabi before landing in KLIA and had a fake address in Malaysia attached to it.
"KLIA seems to be a hub for these international smuggling rings, we will work with all involved to tighten security and standard operating procedures," he said.