Sarawak GOF seize 11,700 turtle eggs worth over RM100,000

KUCHING - The General Operations Force (GOF) Sarawak Brigade have seized 13 boxes containing 11,700 turtle eggs worth RM109,250 and detained two local men in their latest success under Op Khazanah.

Its commander, Senior Assistant Commissoner Dr Che Ghazali Che Awang, said in a statement today that the seizure occurred in Lawas, 1,045 kilometres north of here last Saturday at 10 am.

He said the suspects, who were in a four-wheel drive vehicle, were detained by a team from Company C, Battalion 12 at the Merapok Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) after the turtle eggs were found in the vehicle.

"All the eggs were believed to be destined to be smuggled out to a neighbouring country,” he said, adding that the RM80,000 vehicle was also seized.

He said the two suspects and seized items were handed over to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) in Lawas for further action and the case would be investigated under Section 29(1) of the Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998.

In another success, Che Ghazali said the Sarawak GOF found an air-gun worth RM800 in some bushes along the Malaysia-Indonesia border near Teluk Melano, about 137 west of here during a patrol under Ops Batas yesterday.

No arrest was made, however, as no one turned up to retrieve the weapon even after an hour.

He said under Op Batas from May 30 to yesterday, the Sarawak GOF recorded three deportation cases at the Sarawak-Kalimantan, Indonesia border involving 21 individuals - 17 men and four women - aged 10 to 63.

In total, the Sarawak GOF recorded RM1.4 million in seizures and nine arrests during Op Bersepadu Khazanah from early this year until yesterday.

"Op Batas has recorded seizures worth RM1.1 million from 104 cases involving the arrests of 370 people - 24 locals and 346 foreigners - including 301 foreigners who were deported,” he added. - BERNAMA