Malaysia breaks up illegal wild meat, protected bird poaching ring

Authorities in Malaysia have apprehended six individuals accused of operating an illegal hunting syndicate that sold various wildlife products, such as deer meat, porcupine, and protected birds, over the course of a decade. The head of the wildlife department’s enforcement unit, Noor Alif Wira Osman, announced on Wednesday (Aug 23) that the group had utilized encrypted social media apps to carry out their illicit activities in Malaysia, a country known for its rich biodiversity. Rising food prices and financial struggles among the population are believed to have contributed to an increase in poaching incidents, according to officials.

Noor Alif revealed that the poachers were arrested under the codename “Ops Hunter” in the state of Kedah, located in northern Malaysia. He stated, “They have been extremely active for the past 10 years. They used the social media – Telegram and WhatsApp – to plan their poaching trips and to market their catch.”

The six men, whose ages range between 40 and 63, will be charged in the coming weeks and could face a prison sentence of up to three years if convicted, said Noor Alif. The joint task force comprising of police and wildlife authorities captured the suspects in the Ulu Muda forest reserve in Kedah, where they had illegitimately entered while carrying shotguns and bows and arrows.

Authorities discovered approximately US$21,000 (RM97,786) worth of sambar deer parts, porcupine meat, and protected birds like hornbills, as well as black-headed and black-crested bulbuls. Alif estimated that the syndicate has been responsible for poaching wildlife valued at around US$500,000 (RM2.33mil) over the past ten years.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, the Southeast Asia director at wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic, commended the operation, expressing concern over the involvement of organized poaching networks and online communication platforms used for illegal trading. She emphasized the need for a thorough investigation of the entire supply chain and emphasized the importance of prosecuting such syndicates to deter wildlife crime.

AFP.