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Kunoichi
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Thursday October 28, 2010
Marine cops thwart bid to smuggle pangolins
MUAR: A smuggling syndicate’s attempt to bring in 23 pangolins during a heavy storm here failed when a marine police team intercepted their car. The syndicate was believed to have used a fast boat to bring the animals from Sumatra and landed near Parit Jamil Laut at about 3am yesterday.
Muar marine police base commanding officer Asst Supt Nordin Osman said a stake-out team headed by Insp Mohd Naser Marzuke spotted a blue Proton Iswara leaving Parit Jamil at about 9am and trailed the car. The car driver realised he was being followed and sped off towards Kampung Parit Tengah, ASP Nordin told the reporters at the Muar marine jetty yesterday.
He said the team managed to block the smuggler’s car after it reached a village road but the driver escaped into a nearby plantation.
He said the team found 23 pangolins with a market value totalling RM50,000 in the car, adding that the police would trace the car owner to identify the smuggler, believed to be a member of a syndicate based in Kuantan, Pahang.
He also said marine police would continue to monitor all smuggling activities in the Malacca Straits, along the coastal areas and also on land. “We will hand over the pangolins and the car to Perhilitan for further action,” he added.
