Turtles worth RM3,000 found during raid in cigarette smuggling case

ALOR STAR: Three softshell turtles each weighing 30kg valued at RM3,000 were found hidden in a kitchen corner in a house in Taman Mangga, Alor Mengkudu, Alor Star today.
Kedah Border Security Agency (Aksem) personnel found the exotic animal after raiding the house in a cigarette smuggling case.
Kedah Aksem commander Abd Latif Abdul Rahman said the agency was tipped off about cigarette smuggling but did not expect to find the turtles there.
"We found 40 cartons of various brands of cheap cigarettes that were not cleared by the customs which were confiscated for further investigations. The total value of the cigarettes was RM1,000 while unpaid duties for them was RM4,148. The total value of the cigarettes and turtles is RM8,148," he said at a press conference in Bukit Kayu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) today.
He said that it was still being investigated if the turtles were meant to be smuggled to neighboring countries or to be kept as pets.
However, approval from the authorities needs to be obtained before keeping any exotic animals as pets.