TAWAU: Four elephant tusks were seized by the Sabah Forestry Department’s special protect unit (Protect) at a house in an oil palm plantation near Luasong, about 70km from here, Sunday.
The tusks, weighing between 2kg and 2.5kg, were found hidden in a closet in one of the bedrooms, about 1.30pm.
Sabah Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Mashor Mohd Jaini, confirmed the arrest of the 48-year-old farm worker and his 50-year-old wife after the Protect team, who acted on a tip-off, raided their house.
The Timorese couple admitted that the tusks were bought for RM1,500 to RM2,000 each to be resold in Indonesia at a higher price.
The case has been handed over to Tawau police for further action.
Meanwhile, Mashor described the operation as proof of the Forestry Department’s commitment to fighting elephant killers.
“Investigations are being made on whether plantation management is involved in the wildlife poaching.
“Hence, all plantation owners are advised to ensure that their employees are not involved in poaching, especially in the Benta Wawasan and Serijaya areas,” he said.
In another seizure, the team confiscated 21 live white-rumped shama (Buruning Murai Batu) kept without a permit by an estate worker at a nearby area.
Several spears, two marble guns and two homemade shotguns were also found at the scene.
The birds were released and the weapons brought to the Tawau police station for further action.
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