Hanoi (VNA) – The Malaysian authorities have rescued hundreds of smuggled tortoises meant for sale in Southeast Asia, disrupting an international crime ring called the “Ninja Turtle Gang”, a wildlife official said on July 4.
Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, director-general of the wildlife and national parks department, said 400 tortoises worth 3.8 million MYR bound for the lucrative exotic pet trade were seized during an operation by the police and wildlife officials on June 29.
“This is the biggest ever seizure in the past 10 years,” Abdul Kadir said, adding that the reptiles were to be sold on to Thailand and Indonesia after local demand was met.
Traffic, a wildlife NGO, previously said Southeast Asian countries “function as source, consumer and as entrepots for wildlife originating from within the region as well as the rest of the world”./.
