Over 370kg in pangolin scales seized in Negeri Sembilan raid

PETALING JAYA – Malaysian police have seized 376.2kg of suspected pangolin scales in a raid in Negeri Sembilan under Operasi Bersepadu Khazanah.Three suspects were arrested during the operation on Oct 27, said Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaki Ashar of the Wildlife Crime Bureau under Malaysia’s Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department.“Authorities also seized nine mobile phones of various brands, a weighing scale and a padlock believed to be linked to the investigation. The total value of all items seized was estimated at RM401,700 (S$126,390), with the pangolin scales alone estimated to be worth RM376,200,” he added.The suspects and seized items were taken to the Nilai district police headquarters before being handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department for further action.Mohd Zaki said pangolins faced threats from poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, with demand for their body parts and derivatives driving exploitation and threatening the species’ survival in its natural habitat.“The seizure of such a large quantity of pangolin scales highlights the importance of sustained intelligence and enforcement efforts to detect and dismantle networks involved in the storage, collection and distribution of wildlife derivatives.“Further investigations are also crucial to identifying the source of supply, intended destinations and possible involvement of other parties in the network,” he said.In a related development, the Wildlife Crime Bureau carried out 288 raids across Malaysia from Jan 1 to Oct 28.The operations resulted in the arrest of 471 individuals, while the total value of seizures was estimated at RM35 million.Mohd Zaki said the bureau recorded 66 cases under the operation throughout 2026, resulting in 74 arrests.“The total value of seizures from these operations was estimated at RM99.6 million,” he said.