Duo jailed for smuggling birds

[Dodomeki]

Jun 9, 2010
Duo jailed for smuggling birds

<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> TWO Malaysian men who tried to smuggle in more than 1,000 birds from across the Causeway without a licence were each jailed for one month on Wednesday. Lee Sung, 45, and Ho Kwee Ping, 56, pleaded guilty to importing 140 mata puteh birds and 1,000 munia birds from Malaysia at Woodlands Checkpoint at about 4.25am on Tuesday. The court heard that Lee came in first on a motorcycle and produced a cargo clearance permit for a consignment of 5,000 grasshoppers and 5,000 crickets to Northern Aquarium.

While checking, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers found six crates of live birds and heard chirping sounds. The birds were found hidden below the consignment of crickets. Five minutes later, Lee's accomplice, Ho, came on another motorcycle and was arrested. Both men could have been fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months each.

 

[Dodomeki]

ICA foils attempt to smuggle over 1,000 birds into S'pore


ICA foils attempt to smuggle over 1,000 birds into S'pore
By Mustafa Shafawi | Posted: 09 June 2010 1941 hrs
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SINGAPORE : An attempt to smuggle more than 1,000 birds into Singapore was foiled at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Tuesday.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it was the largest seizure of birds at the checkpoint since 2006.

A motorcyclist had pulled up at the border crossing in the early hours of Tuesday and produced an AVA permit, authorising the importation of 10,000 insects - 5,000 grasshoppers and 5,000 crickets.

While inspecting the crates stacked on the rear rack of the motorcycle, the ICA officers thought they heard chirping sounds that were unlike those made by crickets.

Their suspicion was proven right when they uncovered six crates of live birds concealed below the consignment of crickets. Altogether 1,000 Munias and 140 Mata Putehs were seized from the crates.

Barely five minutes later, another Malaysia-registered motorbike which had just pulled into the checkpoint was subjected to a check.

Officers found an AVA permit authorising the importation of grasshoppers and crickets in his possession even when he was not conveying any consignment.

This aroused the officers' suspicion. They decided to interview the second Malaysian Chinese rider. He too was involved in the attempt to smuggle the birds into Singapore. The 45-year-old Malaysian Chinese who had attempted to bring in the birds illegally admitted to the smuggling activity.

He claimed that a Malaysian man by the name of Ah Meng had offered him S$250 for the delivery and instructed him to meet up with the second rider at a carpark near the checkpoint after the immigration and customs clearance.

The second rider, a 56-year-old man, corroborated the account of the first rider and added that his role was to oversee the bootlegging attempt. The two were convicted in court on Wednesday afternoon and sentenced to one month's jail.

The importation of live birds without an AVA permit is a violation of the Animals and Birds Act. It carries a maximum penalty of S$10,000 and one year imprisonment.

- CNA/al