Bid To Smuggle Bird's Nest Products To Malaysia Foiled

December 16, 2009 19:14 PM
Bernama




NEW DELHI, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- Two Sri Lankans who attempted to smuggle bird's nest products to Malaysia were arrested by customs officers at the Bandaranaike International airport in Sri Lanka Tuesday.

About 15,000 Wehilihiniya (Sri Lankan edible swiftlet swallow) bird's nest products weighing 44kg, were found in three bags belonging to the suspects, reported the Daily Mirror.

The consignment was worth about RM357,000.

"The suspects who entered the airport were seated near the entrance. They ran away when they saw us, but were apprehended by security officers and Customs officials," Customs deputy director Mali Piyasena told the newspaper.

He said the suspects were remanded until Dec 29, this year.

According to the Customs department, one of the suspects was detained last August for trying to smuggle out 38kg of Wehilihiniya bird's nest products worth nearly RM300,000.

He was fined and released.

This is the second incident in recent months where attempts to smuggle out the delicacies from the country to Southeast Asian capitals were foiled.

Last August, customs officers at the same airport arrested a Sri Lankan and seized 35kg of bird's nest products, of the Colocalia unicolor species.

The seized consignment, which was bound for Bangkok, was worth about RM200,000.

These indigenous species are facing extinction in the island state and exports or smuggling of such bird's nest products are prohibited under Sri Lanka's flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance 1937.

Bird's nests are in great demand in several Asian countries where they are used to produce traditional medicine or served as exotic food in restaurants.

In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird's nest soup could easily cost about US$60 (RM210)

-- BERNAMA