SAM: Bio-detection tools vital to curb wildlife smuggling

PETALING JAYA: Border authorities at the international gateways should be equipped with bio-­detection technologies to curb wildlife smuggling attempts, says an environmental group.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said aside from using sniffer dogs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) currently, the authorities should use devices that could detect heart beat or carbon dioxide.
'The airport needs to be upgraded and equipped with these facilities and this should be done soonest, seeing that there are many cases of wildlife trafficking.
'Lessons can also be learned from the airports in India where rising numbers of smuggled wildlife end up.
'The country's enforcement has benefited from sharper customs profiling, manual screening and intelligence-led approaches,' she said.
Meenakshi also said India has stepped up its response through training programmes led by Traffic, WWF-India and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, focusing on detection, legal procedures and forensic skills.
'More public education is equally critical. Greater awareness of the consequences of wildlife trafficking on biodiversity, public health and national security can help reduce demand for exotic pets,' she said.
Last month, the Natural Resour­ces and Environmental Sustaina­bility Ministry said a total of 10 investigation papers have been opened in connection with wildlife smuggling activities at KLIA between 2023 and April this year.
The ministry said the cases involved the smuggling of exotic and native species such as turtles, snakes, birds and primates.
From January 2023 to March this year, collaboration between Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) had led to the rescue of RM5.4mil worth of protected wildlife.
MAHB said among the key efforts were through the deployment of two Belgian Malinois sniffer dogs, gifted by Perhilitan, to detect hidden wildlife in luggage.
According to Perhilitan, there were attempts to smuggle 4,200 exotic animals from KLIA in 2024, a 42% increase from 2023.
In 2022, half of the 56 smuggling attempts in India arrived in that country via Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, WWF-Malaysia welcomed the move, saying that it supports enforcement agencies carrying out joint operations, capacity building and intelligence sharing.
'We collaborate with multi-­agency initiatives such as Ops Bersepadu Khazanah and engage with platforms like the Malaysia Wildlife Enforcement Network to help disrupt smuggling syndicates and protect endangered species such as the Malayan tiger, pangolin and sun bear.
'Wildlife smuggling is a serious transboundary crime that threatens biodiversity, undermines national security and damages Malaysia's international reputation,' it said in a statement.
While commending the government's commitment, WWF-Malaysia also urged the public to play their part and support the government's efforts by not keeping, buying or consuming any wildlife or wildlife parts to curb demands of wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife trade monitoring network, Traffic Malaysia, told The Star that there is likely a vast network of smuggling syndicates that operate in the country.
It said the syndicate will typically involve funding and connections to source the wildlife before packaging and sending them to the destinations.
'Upon investigation, a typical trafficking chain could involve countless hunters and collectors, hundreds of people to plan, store, care for and move the animals, and numerous transport hubs across the world to enable this level of supply,' it said.
Traffic Malaysia said for cases involving live wildlife, it usually involved juvenile animals, most likely to feed a demand for exotic pets.
Referring to several attempted smuggling cases in Indian airports that originate from Kuala Lumpur, Traffic Malaysia said there is also a great variety from across the globe and not necessarily from the country of departure.
'For instance, Indian authorities found a marble polecat and red-eared slider turtles in the luggage of a traveller from Malaysia.
'These species are not found in Malaysia. They've also discovered other turtles and tortoises from North and South America and various countries in Africa in luggage originating in Malaysia,' it said.
Gibbons, often seen in such ­seizures, could have originated from Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand, it added.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Express

44 minutes ago

• Daily Express

Local man held at KLIA for attempting to smuggle four gibbons

Published on: Sunday, June 22, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 22, 2025 By: Bernama Text Size: For illustrative purposes only. - Pic by Vince_Adam Photography | Flickr PUTRAJAYA: A local man was detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 for attempting to smuggle four exotic animals, believed to be black-handed gibbons worth around RM30,000. The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) said in a statement today that the animals were found inside the 34-year-old suspect's luggage. He was a passenger on a Batik Air flight bound for Mumbai, India, scheduled to depart Friday night. 'The suspect was detained on the spot and taken to the Aeropolis police headquarters for further action,' the statement said. AKPS said the gibbons have been handed over to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) for investigation and further action. The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008. Advertisement The arrest was part of enhanced integrated checks launched this month in collaboration with Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Perhilitan, targeting wildlife smuggling through high-risk aviation entry points. 'AKPS, AVSEC and Perhilitan will continue to tighten security controls at KLIA and will not compromise with any party involved in wildlife trafficking via air routes,' the statement added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

Malay Mail

an hour ago

• Malay Mail

Worker flees Johor oil store fire as blaze destroys lorry, shocks residents who ‘didn't even know' facility was there

JOHOR BAHRU, June 22 — A routine errand turned into a nightmare for a worker who was forced to abandon his company's new lorry as fire rapidly spread from a nearby engine oil storage facility. Aiman Abdullah, 23, had gone to a recycling centre to purchase a used water tank when the blaze broke out. 'The fire started around 12.30 pm. I saw thick smoke and flames coming from the section where hundreds of drums and oil containers were stored,' said a visibly shaken Aiman, speaking to Bernama at the site today. Trapped inside the compound, he was advised by firefighters not to drive out through the main entrance due to the danger. He parked the one-tonne lorry further and fled through a narrow path to a nearby construction site about 100 metres away. Hoping the distance would spare the vehicle, he watched helplessly as the fire, fuelled by leaking engine oil, quickly engulfed it, reducing it to a charred metal frame. Yesterday, the Fire and Rescue Department reported receiving a distress call at 12.54 pm. The blaze destroyed five premises over roughly 1,000 square metres, including a used engine oil storage area, a recycling facility, a soap-making factory, a lorry parking site, and a construction material store. Fifteen vehicles were also reported lost. As of midday today, thick smoke was still seen billowing from the site, although firefighters confirmed 80 per cent of the fire had been extinguished. The burnt-out remains of lorries, motorcycles, cars and metal scraps drew crowds from surrounding areas, including residents of Taman Megah Ria, just 50 metres from the site. Long-time resident Lim Cheng Woon, 50, said he was unaware such a hazardous facility was located so close to his home. 'We didn't even know there was an engine oil storage next to our houses until the fire happened. We sincerely hope it gets relocated. We don't want another disaster like this,' he said. Meanwhile, the Johor Department of Environment (DOE) confirmed that no abnormal readings of ammonia or other hazardous emissions had been detected in the vicinity. — Bernama

Malay Mail

an hour ago

• Malay Mail

Johor cops probe Singapore-registered car filmed driving against traffic on Senai-Desaru Expressway

JOHOR BARU, June 22 — Police are investigating an incident involving a Singapore-registered vehicle travelling against traffic at Kilometre 55 of the Senai-Desaru Expressway yesterday. Kota Tinggi police chief Supt Yusof Othman said that the incident is believed to have occurred at around 11.31 am yesterday, and a 12-second video was subsequently uploaded to the 'Community Roda Johor' Facebook page. 'The white vehicle with the registration number SNT4298 was recorded driving against the traffic, endangering other road users,' he said in a statement today, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving. He urged those with additional information about the incident to contact Traffic Enforcement Officer Insp Amirul Mustakim Mustaza at 017-4793329 to assist in the investigation. 'Police advise all road users always to stay vigilant and obey traffic laws for the safety of everyone,' he added. — Bernama