A restaurant secretly operating inside a palm oil plantation was found serving pangolin ginger soup for about RM1,000 a bowl, among other dishes made from protected wildlife.
The illegal operation was uncovered during a raid by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the General Operations Force (PGA) on August 13.
Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the joint enforcement operation, conducted at about 4pm, uncovered various wildlife and suspected wildlife parts kept frozen, with a total estimated value of RM17,050.
Items seized included suspected pangolin parts, flying fox parts, “katak demam”, civet parts and softshell turtle parts.
A 59-year-old local man, believed to be the restaurant owner, was arrested during the raid.
Abdul Kadir said the suspect told investigators that the restaurant had been operating since 2018, with its location deliberately situated in a secluded area within a palm oil plantation.
Investigations found that the wildlife was believed to have been obtained from suppliers among plantation workers and villagers in Banting and nearby districts in Selangor.
The suspected flying fox meat was reportedly supplied by a source from Melaka, according to Abdul Kadir.
He said wildlife dishes were offered to regular customers, who would then introduce the restaurant to new patrons.
The restaurant’s special pangolin ginger soup was reportedly served to visitors from China at around RM1,000 per bowl, highlighting the lucrative trade in protected wildlife.
The case is being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716).
