Published: Monday September 6, 2010 MYT 12:42:00 PM
Updated: Monday September 6, 2010 MYT 1:05:06 PM
Anson Wong jailed 6 mths, fined RM190,000 for illegal snake export
By YUEN MEI KENG, The Star Online
SEPANG: The Sessions Court on Monday sentenced businessman Anson Wong to six months jail and fined him RM190,000 for illegally exporting 95 boa constrictor snakes.
His jail sentence starts Monday.
When questioned by Judge Zulhelmy Hasan, Wong, 52, said he did not have an export permit because his customer had insisted on having the snakes before Hari Raya.
Defence counsel M.Sivam applied to the court for the return of Wong's laptop and handphone but the judge rejected the application.
Senior legal adviser for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, Faridz Gohim Abdullah told the court that the laptop contained information about alleged related illegal activities.
Wong is believed to be an international wildlife trader.
On Wednesday, Anson Wong, whose real name is Wong Keng Liang, admitted to exporting 95 Boa Constrictor - which is endangered species - without permit at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8.50pm on Aug 26.
The snakes were found in a luggage bag while Wong was in transit from Penang to Jakarta.
The Star had reported in February that Wong had been linked to a Dec 15 seizure in the United States of various types of animals from an exotic animal outlet.
Two of the trader’s companies were found to have been supplying animals to the outlet.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) had claimed that CBS Wildlife and Sungai Rusa Wildlife, both owned by Wong, were supplying various types of animals and wildlife to US Global Exotics (USGE).
Wong pleaded guilty to trafficking in wildlife in the US and was sentenced to 71 months jail in 2000.
Related Stories:
Anson Wong pleads guilty to exporting snakes without permit
Ministry to clamp down on wildlife trafficking
Boas, vipers and mata-mata turtle among smuggler’s loot
International wildlife smuggler held at KLIA
Peta: Wildlife trader’s firms supplying animals to US outlet
NGOs welcome transparency to curb illegal wildlife trade
Article in National Geographic an exposé on Wong’s escapades
Report lodged against convicted wildlife smuggler, two govt agencies
Author: Wong downplayed smuggling role
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1 comment:
this is nonsense. he should've been sentenced the maximum RM1 million fine and 7 years in jail.
instead, he was fined some a small amount and will be back in business in 6 months.
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