Tortoise Smuggling - Malay Press Item

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: THE STAR (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) 26 January 00 Indons held and their tortoises confiscated : Port Klang (Bernama): Five Indonesians were detained by the marine police here for wrong declaration of the species of tortoises they were bringing into the country. : Marine police supervisor DSP Mohamed Yusof Abdullah said the five were in a boat from Tanjung Agas in Indonesia. : When stopped by police at 3pm yesterday, they produced documents stating they were bringing in 594 of the Asian Box Turtle and Geomeyda Gradis species in 100 boxes. : Mohamed Yusof said that on inspection, however, police found the tortoises were different to that declared. : "A Wildlife Department official found that the tortoises were instead of the Black Marsh Turtle, Malayan Giant Turtle, Flat Shell Turtle and Yellow Head Turtle species," he said. : The confiscated tortoises have been handed over to the Customs and Excise Department. : Mohamed Yusof added, however, that all the tortoises found on the boat were not protected species. : He said the tortoises were meant for re-export using Port Klang as the transit point. :

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