Two men have been arrested in southern Malaysia
for attempting to smuggle to Singapore hundreds of white-rumped shama
birds, state wildlife officials said Saturday, according to dpa.
Wildlife authorities stopped the suspects' car along a highway a
highway in the state of Johor, about 325 kilometres south of Kuala
Lumpur, Thursday and discovered the 513 birds in 43 cages at the back
of the vehicle, Johor wildlife department chief Hasnan Yusop said.
'This is our largest success this year. Prior to this, we managed to
halt two other attempts to smuggle out these birds,' the Star
newspaper quoted Hasnan as saying.
Another Johor wildlife official said Singapore was the destination of
the birds, a protected species.
The two suspects would be charged for violating the Wildlife
Conservation Act 2010, which could be punishable with up to three
years in jail and a fine of up to 50,000 ringgit (15,500 dollars).