GEORGE TOWN: Two men who specialised in smuggling pangolins were detained by the state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) at a single-storey house in mainland Butterworth here early yesterday.
Also seized from the house at Jalan Raja Uda, which they had used as a distribution centre, were 67 rare pangolins.
Of the 67 pangolins confiscated, 41 were alive while 26 others were in the form of skinned and frozen carcasses.
The seized sunda pangolins (manis javanica), comprised mature and infant pangolins, weighing between 5kg and 11kg.
The mammals have a market value of about RM60,000. Their scales could fetch up to RM800 per kg.
The two men, who are in their 30s, were from Kedah and Johor.
Department director Noor Aliff Wira Osman said the raiding party had observed the premises for almost three weeks before moving in at 2.15am.
"The pangolins arrive through the rear door and exit through the front after the treatment process. Our initial investigation showed that the pangolins were transported from Johor to Penang by road," Noor Aliff said at the Perhilitan headquarters at Jalan Gurdwara.
He said the buyers bought pangolins for their skins, scales and meat.
A Proton Iswara with a Johor registration plate, believed to be used to transport the pangolins, was also seized.
Noor Aliff did not rule out the possibility the pangolins were smuggled from Indonesia.
It is believed that the syndicate had been operating for about two years.
Sunda pangolins are found in Southeast Asia's forests and in rubber and oil palm plantations.
Their parts are used for medicinal purposes.
Resource article: NST Online
