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KOTA MARUDU: Three Filipinos were jailed one year and fined RM220,000 each after being found guilty of possessing approximately 865kg of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) parts stored in 39 sacks and 14 boxes.

They were arrested by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officers on Sept 27, 2023, in Sabah waters near Simpang Mengayau, Kudat. 

The case was handed over to the Sabah Wildlife Department for further investigation and prosecution.

They were charged under Section 41(1) of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code. 

Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional eight months of imprisonment.

“This success reflects the strong inter-agency cooperation and our continued commitment to protect endangered marine species, especially the green turtle,” said Sabah Wildlife Department Director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, who commended the swift action of the Kudat MMEA enforcement team.