WILDLIFE OFFICERS DETAIN TWO MEN, SEIZE 130 PANGOLINS

KUANTAN (Malaysia), Dec 19 (Bernama) -- Officers from the east coast state
of Pahang Department Of Wildlife & National Parks (Perhilitan), detained two men
and seized 130 pangolins that were destined for cooking pots, worth about
RM40,000 (US$11,636).

According to Pahang Perhilitan director Khairiah Mohd Shariff, the two men
were detained and the pangolins seized during a raid carried out on two cars at
a Chinese cemetery near here on Friday.

Khairiah added that the two men, aged 21 and 32 were detained while a
20-year-old woman, believed to the wife of one of the suspects and three
children aged between two to seven, found in one of the cars, was not detained.

Khairiah said initial investigations revealed that the two suspects had been
actively involved in the trade for more than a year and carried out their
activities only on a Friday.

"The cemetery is believed to be the transit point before the animals are
taken to Johor and illegally exported to China, Japan and Hong Kong," said
Khairiah.

Pangolin meat can fetch prices of up to RM100 (US$29) per kilogramme.
-- BERNAMA