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KUDAT: A smuggling syndicate’s attempt to export exotic food involving endangered species was foiled by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) during a special operation off the Kudat coast on Tuesday.

Kudat Maritime Zone Director Hasbullah Omar said the bust followed intelligence from the MMEA Intelligence Unit, which detected suspicious activity in the Malawali Strait around 2am.

Acting on the tip-off, a patrol boat was dispatched and spotted a darkened vessel about 1.8 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Layang-layang, Pitas.

No individuals were found on board, but further inspection uncovered frozen and dried exotic animals, including 20 polystyrene boxes of frozen giant clams (about 500kg), eight sacks of dried clams (over 200kg), and five boxes of frozen pangolins (about 100kg).

The seized cargo, estimated to be worth over RM100,000 and likely bound for a neighbouring country, is under investigation under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and the Fisheries Act 1985, with MMEA urging the public to report maritime crimes via 088-611858 or emergency line 999.