Bintulu restaurant busted for exotic meats, 35kg of various animals seized

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Enforcement personnel checking the meat seized in the restaurant in Bintulu.

BINTULU (Oct 7): Some 35 kilogrammes of exotic meat of various animals estimated to be worth RM5,000 were seized from a restaurant in Jalan Tanjung Kidurong here on Monday night.

Bintulu district police chief Supt Zulkipli Suhaili in a statement said an enforcement team, consisting of police personnel and officers from Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) had raided the premises at around 9pm.

He said the raiding team found the exotic meat stored in a refrigerator.

He said the meat, separated in different plastic packages, were identified as snake, deer, lizard, wild boar, bear, squirrel, porcupine and other species of wildlife and protected animals.

The meats of various animals, including bear and deer, were found stored in a refrigerator.

“Three women aged between 23 and 47 believed to be the caretaker of the premises and employees in the restaurant were arrested,” he said.

Zulkipli said the suspects along with the confiscated items were taken to the Bintulu Forest Office for further investigation under Section 48 (1) of the Wildlife Ordinance 1998, which carries one year imprisonment and a fine of RM10,000, upon conviction.

Warning food outlets here not to offer exotic meats, he said: “The police in collaboration with other relevant agencies, especially the Sarawak Forestry Corporation, will continue to fight against illegal activities involving protected species of animals in the state, in order to curb illegal sales and poaching.”