2 Indian nationals nabbed with nearly 3k turtles smuggled through KLIA
Despite numerous warnings issued by authorities, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) continues to be used by smugglers to transport wildlife out of the country, especially to India.
Yesterday, Indian Customs authorities stopped two Indian nationals who had just arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport, in Bengaluru, India, via IndiGo flight 6E-1038 from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 10.59pm.
Summary
Customs detains two Indian nationals at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, India, on April 20.
Both had travelled from KLIA to India onboard an IndiGO flight.
Checks on their luggage reveal 2,952 red-eared slider turtles.
Despite numerous warnings issued by authorities, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) continues to be used by smugglers to transport wildlife out of the country, especially to India.
Yesterday, Indian Customs authorities stopped two Indian nationals who had just arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport, in Bengaluru, India, via IndiGo flight 6E-1038 from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 10.59pm.
The men were identified as Gopinath Manivelan and Sudhakar Govindasamy, a document sighted by Malaysiakini today revealed.
Checks on Gopinath’s luggage revealed 1,672 red-eared slider turtles, while Sudhakar’s luggage contained 1,280 red-eared slider turtles.
Customs authorities said the animals are still alive and were deported immediately on the next available flight back to Malaysia.
Both were detained by authorities there for bringing wildlife animals into the country without a proper permit.
Previous cases in KLIA
Last month, two Indian men were stopped by Malaysian authorities with smuggled wildlife in their luggage at the KLIA departure gate while en route to India; both committed the crime separately and were later charged in court.
In the first case, authorities nabbed a 50-year-old Indian national, who worked as a construction worker in Malaysia for 18 years, for attempting to smuggle wildlife worth around RM13,000 to Tamil Nadu, India via KLIA, on April 15.
Checks on the person’s luggage revealed five harlequin monitor lizards, four Sulawesi forest turtles, three African spurred tortoises and two lace monitor lizards in his luggage.
On April 23, Abdul Jaffar Mohideen Abdul Kadar, from Tamil Nadu, pleaded not guilty to four primary and four alternative charges under the same Act.
In the second case, a 21-year-old Indian student was caught with an agile gibbon and six red-eared slider turtles in his luggage, before he was scheduled to fly off to Tiruchirappalli International Airport, India, on April 20.
On April 30, a student, Dinesh Kumar Selvam, from Ramanathapuram, also in Tamil Nadu, was charged at the Sepang Sessions Court with two counts of wildlife trafficking for trying to smuggle protected animals out of the country under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
Both suspects were represented by the same legal counsel at the Sepang Sessions Court.
Wildlife trafficking hub
The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has repeatedly warned against illegally keeping wild animals or committing wildlife crimes and urged those involved to cease their activities or face stern action.
The public can support enforcement efforts against wildlife trading or smuggling activities by alerting Perhilitan via its hotline 1800-88-5151 or its website.
Malaysia is considered a major transit point for the trafficking of endangered animals to other parts of Asia.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, which supervises Perhilitan, announced last month that a total of 10 investigation papers have been opened in connection with wildlife smuggling activities at KLIA from 2023 to April 2025.
The ministry said the cases involve the smuggling of exotic and native species, including turtles, snakes, birds, and primates.
“The ministry takes this issue seriously, as such activities have been on the rise in recent times. Wildlife smuggling not only threatens endangered species but also poses security risks and affects Malaysia’s image on the international stage,” it said.
The ministry stressed that it is committed to strengthening enforcement actions nationwide.
Individuals or syndicates caught in wildlife smuggling will face stern action under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), which includes fines of up to RM1 million, imprisonment for up to 15 years, or both.
In March, Transport Minister Anthony Loke reprimanded Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) over rising cases of wildlife being smuggled out of the country.
He said it was a serious issue that the airport operator must take immediate steps to overcome.
Checked-in luggage falls under the purview of MAHB’s baggage handling services, not the Customs Department.
