A 52-year-old Turkish man was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday after he was caught attempting to smuggle 10 live Discus fish out of the country.
According to the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), the arrest was made through close cooperation between AKPS officers at KLIA and the Aviation Security (AVSEC) team.
The man’s smuggling attempt was uncovered around 6:26 p.m. when airport security detected a suspicious piece of luggage at the Satellite Terminal, Departure Gate, Terminal 1.
“Further inspection revealed that the bag contained 10 live Discus fish carried by the passenger, who was scheduled to depart for Doha, Qatar,” the agency said in a statement today.
Checks showed that the individual failed to produce valid export permits or supporting documents, including a license from the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) and a health certificate from the Department of Fisheries.
All the fish were confiscated for further action under the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 (MAQIS).
“We will take strict action against anyone attempting to export or import live animals without proper documentation. Such measures are vital to protect national biosecurity and border safety,” AKPS added.
